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NEW CASTLE, Del. - - Zach Rosenzweig hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday afternoon against Goldey-Beacom, 13-12, on Saturday afternoon at Wilson Field, advancing the Wilmington University baseball team onward in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament.
It was another back-and-forth affair on Saturday as both teams always had an answer. The Wildcats (33-20) had the last laugh though, hosting and hitting in the bottom of the ninth. The teams played each other seven times in the last week, with the Wildcats coming out on top, 4-3.
The Lightning struck first with a run in the top of the first, but the Wildcats had an answer right away as Josearmando Diaz hit a two-out, three-run homer in the home half. Brandon Grygo hit a two-out RBI double in the second and the Wildcats led, 4-2.
Goldey-Beacom responded with homers, hitting a solo shot and a two-run shot in the third, and a three-run bomb in the fourth to grab a 7-4 advantage.
Now it was the Wildcats turn to answer, as they scored six unanswered to take a 10-7 lead. Shawn Edevane hit a two-run double and scored on an RBI single from Chase Fleming in the fourth, tying the game, 7-7. Nick Classie gave the Wildcats the lead with a solo shot in the fifth. Tyler Pirrung added to the lead in the same inning, hitting a double over the third base bag to score Grygo, 9-7. Garrett Quinn then made it a 10-7 lead with a two-out RBI single in the sixth.
But the Lightning didn't stay quiet for long, scoring the next four runs to regain the lead. They hit an RBI double and scored on a fielder's choice in the seventh to cut it to 10-9, and then hit a pair of two-out RBI singles in the eighth to take an 11-10 lead.
The Wildcats answered with Josearmando Diaz starting the eighth with a single. He moved around the bases on wild pitches, eventually coming in to score on a wild pitch as well. Garrett Quinn then singled the other way, chasing Classie home from second for the 12-11 lead, all with two outs in the inning again.
The Lightning got a leadoff single in the ninth and then tied the game with a two-out double to left center, 12-12. But then Scott Borgmann picked up a strikeout to end the inning, giving the Wildcats a chance in the bottom of the ninth.
Chase Fleming reached on an error to start the inning and then Josearmando Diaz moved him up with a sacrifice bunt. Zach Rosenzweig wasted no time and took the first pitch he saw the other way into right as Zach Frame raced home amid a sea of Wildcats coming out of the dugouts.
Brandon Grygo went 3-for-6 with a double, an RBI, and three runs scored. Tyler Pirrung went 2-for-3 with two doubles, Josearmando Diz went 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored, and Garrett Quinn went 2-for-5 with two RBI. Nick Classie went 2-for-3 with a double, a homer, an RBI, and two runs scored while Zach Rosenzweig went 2-for-5 with a double and the game-winning RBI.
The Wildcats advance to the double-elimination portion of the CACC Tournament, joining Dominican, Felician, and Jefferson next week. The Wildcats will host the tournament at Wilson Field, starting on Thursday with three games. The Wildcats will face Dominican on Thursday at 12:00 p.m.
