Box Score DOVER, Del. - FDU Baseball (14-9, 8-2 NEC) dropped the series opener at the hands of the hosting Delaware State Hornets (2-20, 2-8 NEC) at Bob Reed Field Saturday afternoon. 

The Hornets got a masterful pitching performance from right-handed starter Michael Lane, who went eight full innings, giving up just five hits while striking out ten Knights. Lane also did not issue a free pass, and was perfect through four innings, before a Diego Urreta base hit ended the perfect game bid in the top of the fifth.

Lane threw 110 total pitches in the contest, and did give up two earned runs as Hunter Ray hit a two run homer in the ninth inning to cut the Hornet lead in half, but it was not enough as Hornet closer James Breen was able to leave the tieing run stranded at first base. 

The Knights received solid outings from both Jeremy Cheeseman and Chris Messina in the ballgame Saturday afternoon. Cheeseman fired four full innings, giving up five hits, and just one earned run. Cheeseman also struck out four batters in his outing.

Messina came in relief, and despite giving up two solo homers, was solid despite that. Messina struck out five batters in his four full innings and did not issue a free pass. 

Each of the Knights top five in the batting order recorded a hit in the contest, that being Johnathan Gomez, Hunter Ray, Garryn Plummer, Diego Urreta, and Jimmy Mantuano all tallied base hits for FDU in the contest. 
 

WHAT'S NEXT

The Knights will play a doubleheader with the Hornets tomorrow at Bob Reed Field, with the first pitch of game one set for 11 a.m. Both games will be streamed on NEC Front Row, and live stats can be found on fduknights.com