GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - The bats came alive as the No. 16 Harford baseball team (54-10) poured it on in a 14-8 World Series victory over No. 8 Delgado (37-18) on Memorial Day. Eight Fighting Owls collected hits in the win as the offense scored in six of the eight innings.

After the Dolphins connected on a two-run home run in the top of the first, the Harford bats went to work. Chase DeMars, Daulton Weeks and Joe Burton each collected one-out extra-base hits to tie the score. DeMars laced a double in the right-center gap and Weeks followed with his first World Series hit, a triple to deep left center. Joe Burton then exploded on a fastball for a triple of his own, scoring Weeks to tie the score.

The Fighting Owls scored four runs in the third and fourth innings, taking advantage of the Dolphin bullpen and some miscues. Weeks started the holiday festivities off with an opposite field home run and after a few hard-hit balls and walks chased Spencer Veit, Ben Bomberger and Luke Johnson plated teammates with a double and single, respectively, stretching the Harford advantage to 6-3. The damage could have been worse as both DeMars and Jack Hamner blistered pitches to left field that were run down by Dolphin left fielder Christian Volion.

After Delgado tied the score at 6-6 in the top of the fourth, the Fighting Owls began to put the game away as they batted around in the fifth and scored four more. Dominic DiSabatino walked and DeMars singled through the left side to open the frame. Harford was then the beneficiaries of a pair of Dolphin errors. Weeks sent a rocket off the third baseman's glove that ricocheted into the left field bullpen for a two-base error. Burton followed that with an RBI groundball that the shortstop kicked. A few batters later, Bomberger singled through the left side on the ninth pitch of his at bat, plating two to extend the lead to 10-6. The Fighting Owls would not look back.

"We're young and dumb," head coach Tom Eller explained. "We've never been here before and our guys don't know that they are supposed to play tight. We're just having fun."

Michael Devecchio started for Harford and struck out five in 3.1. He was lifted in a 6-6 contest with runners on first and second with one out for Nick Delp. Weeks immediately snared a line drive out of the air and easily turned a 5-4 double play to end the threat. Delp (2-0) finished the contest, tossing 5.2 innings in relief. He scattered four hits and limited damage, allowing Eller and the Fighting Owls to save pitching for Tuesday's contest. 

Five Fighting Owls tallied two hits and Bomberger and Johnson had a pair of hits and three RBIs each. Johnson blasted a home run to lead off the eighth inning for the third homer of the Series for Harford. Weeks and Burton also knocked in a pair of runs in the victory.

Harford now plays the loser of Chattahoochee Valley and Iowa Western on Tuesday at 5 p.m. eastern.