SALISBURY, Md. – For the fifth-straight season, the No. 14 Salisbury University baseball traveled across town to take on the Delmarva Shorebirds in an exhibition to kick off the Shorebirds' season. Delmarva would take the contest 8-4 but Salisbury had a first in the all-time series.

Sophomore Connor Shockley started the contest and worked a 1-2-3 inning of work, as did junior Ryan Belanger in the second inning.

Senior Bill Root would collect the first hit of the game in the bottom of the third, with a looper over the first baseman's head and raced for a double. Junior Kyle Hayman followed with a single to right center and Root came around for a 1-0 SU lead. This is the first time that the Sea Gulls have taken a lead in the series.

The Shorebirds would come back in the bottom half of the third, plating three runs off freshman Alex Thoms.

Delmarva would take control of the contest an inning later, putting up five runs for an 8-1 lead.

Salisbury would get a run back in the top of the fifth, when Hayman reached on an error that scored senior Ken O'Neill.

The Sea Gulls would push across a pair of runs to close the gap to 8-4. Junior Tyler Illian led off the inning with a walk and was moved to third when senior Quinn Griffith laced a double over the left fielder's head. Illian would score on a groundout by junior Danny Breen and Griffith on a groundout by classmate Johnny Schiotis.

The four runs is the most the Sea Gulls have scored in the series since scoring six in the first all-time meeting in 2010, a 9-6 loss.

Salisbury was celebrated for its performance on the field and in the classroom, as all of the Salisbury University student-athletes in attendance were recognized as part of the NCAA's National Student-Athlete Day.

The Sea Gulls will be back in collegiate action tomorrow, as St. Mary's College of Maryland will travel to the SU Baseball Field. The first pitch of that contest is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.