DOYLESTOWN (PA) – David Drinks and Mark Reilly combined for a six-hit shutout as DeSales University opened a three-game, Freedom Conference series with Delaware Valley College with a 7-0 road victory.

DeSales, the preseason favorite in the conference, improved to 8-5 overall and 4-0 in league action while the Aggies fell to 7-5 and 1-2. The series will now shift to Center Valley for a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.

Delaware Valley entered the day averaging 7.6 runs and 10.7 hits per contest, but it was held in check by Drinks as the freshman moved his record to 3-0 on the year. He pitched seven-plus innings and allowed just six singles and two walks while fanning three. Drinks left the game after back-to-back wild pitches and a walk put runners on first and third with two outs and the tying run coming to the plate in a 3-0 game. Reilly came in from the bullpen and got Kellen Jarrett to ground out to third to end the threat.

The Bulldogs then put the game away by scoring four runs in the ninth off of two hits, two walks and two costly Aggie errors. The big hit in the inning was a two-run single down the right field line Derek Chrismer. Reilly then put Delaware Valley down in order in the bottom of the ninth to complete his first save of the season.

DeSales hit the scoreboard in the first as Nick Chiovitti led off the game with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch and came around on a two-out, RBI single by Jason Hadinger. The squad added two more in the seventh thanks to a double steal by Derek Moyer (second) and Kenny Ridge (home) and an RBI ground out by Jack Kavetski.

The loss spoiled a solid effort by Delaware Valley starter Brian Hafer as the junior pitched into the seventh and allowed just three runs (two earned) and seven hits while striking out three. The Aggie offense was paced once again by Mike Isgro as the senior went 2-for-4 and saw his Division III-leading batting average “drop” to .609 on the year. It was his ninth, multiple-hit game of the campaign and extended his hitting streak to 13 games, which dates back to the final game of last season.