NEW CASTLE, Del. - - A Friday split forces a winner-take-all in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference First Round best-of-three series, with the Wilmington University baseball team taking the game one see-saw, 14-12, before Goldey-Beacom winning the nightcap, 8-2, at Wilson Field.
With the split, the teams will return to Wilson Field on Saturday for game three of the series with the winner advancing to next weekend's double-elimination portion of the CACC Championship. The first pitch is set for 12:00 p.m. on Saturday.
GAME 1:
Trailing by as large as 10-5, the Wildcats (32-20) fought back multiple times and eventually came out on top. The Wildcats scored at least one run in their final five at bats in the game. The Wildcats used four home runs, a triple, and three doubles in the game.
Goldey-Beacom jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the third with a three-run double. Josearmando Diaz hit the first homer of the game, a solo shot off the scoreboard in right with two outs. Kory Pritchard then hit an RBI double to plate another run, tying the game, 3-3.
But the Lightning answered with three-runs in the top of the fifth, taking a 6-3 lead. Brandon Grygo cut into the deficit again in the home half, hitting a two-run homer to right to bring it to 6-5.
Goldey-Beacom had another spurt in them, scoring four runs in the top of the sixth to take a 10-5 lead. Cam Trego launched a two-run homer to start the scoring for the Wildcats' rebuttal. Brandon Grygo tripled in Garrett Quinn and then scored on a wild pitch to bring the Wildcats to within 10-9. Shawn Edevane then tied the game with a two-out solo homer to right, a part of a five-run sixth inning to tie the game, 10-10-.
Kory Pritchard gave the Wildcats their first lead, 11-10, with an RBI single int eh seventh, but the Lightning had one final comeback in the top of the eighth. A leadoff double scored on a wild pitch and then Braden Kolmansberger hit an opposite field homer to right to give the Lightning the lead again, 12-11.
Garrett Quinn singled to start the eighth and then Tyler Pirrung doubled off the wall in center field, tying the game, 12-12. Now with two outs and runners on second and third, Pirrung got a grounder up the middle and passed a drawn in infield, plating two for the 14-12 lead.
Brandon Grygo then went 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth to close out the victory. Grygo and Pritchard led the charge with three RBI each while Chase Fleming, and Cam Trego had two RBI each.
GAME 2:
The Lightning received a complete game from Connor Blence in the nightcap, scoring eight runs in a four-inning span to earn the split and force a game three.
Tyler Reinert cruised through first three innings for the Wildcats but then the Lightning got on the board with a double and an RBI single in the fourth. The Lightning loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth and came up with a single through the left side for two more runs, ending the day for Reinert.
The Wildcats got a run back on an RBI single from Tyler Pirrung in the bottom of the fifth, but left two runners in scoring position looking for more damage.
A three-run homer down the right field line gave the Lightning a 6-1 lead in the sixth and then another two-out, two-run single with the bases loaded in the seventh pushed the Lightning to an 8-1 lead.
Brandon Grygo got into one in the bottom of the seventh, hitting a solo homer to right center, but the Wildcats ran out of fire power from there.
Josearmando Diaz and Cam Trego led with two hits each while Grygo and Pirrung collected RBI.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats and Lightning will battle for the seventh time in a week on Saturday. The first pitch Is set for 12:00 p.m. at Wilson Field.
