LYNDHURST, N.J. - - The Wilmington University baseball team came back and won game two to salvage a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference split with Felician on Saturday, dropping the opener, 5-2, but battling back to take the nightcap, 7-5.
In the opener, it was a scoreless game until a four-run bottom of the sixth for Felician (17-10, 9-4 CACC). It was a four-run inning in the top of the fifth for the Wildcats (18-9, 10-3 CACC) in game two that separated them for the victory.
GAME 1:
It was a pitcher's duel into the sixth inning in the opener, as Xavier Cortez and Devin Malvasio only allowed two hits each through the first five innings.
After Devin Malvasio shut the Wildcats down again in order in the top of the fifth, the Felician offense finally got Cortez to crack. The Golden Falcons put runners on second and third with one out and then a big blast made it 3-0 for the home team. A two-out walk and a double added another run for Felician, ending in a 4-0 lead.
Brett Walmsley put the Wildcats on the board with a two-out trip to right center, chasing Zach Frame home in the top of the seventh. A balk in the eighth cut the Wildcats' deficit in half to 4-2, but they couldn't get it any closer. Felician hit a leadoff homer in the eighth to cap the scoring, as the Wildcats could only get one runner on in the ninth.
Zach Frame went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a triple. He also had a stolen base in the loss.
Xavier Cortez went 5.2 innings with eight strikeouts, allowing four runs on six hits in the tough loss.
GAME 2:
The bats didn't wait around in the nightcap, as the game was tied 3-3 after three innings of play.
Chase Fleming singled in Brandon Grygo in the top of the first and then Cam Trego homered to lead off the second and Garrett Quinn squeezed in a run. The Golden Falcons scored single runs in each of their first three at bats, tying the game, 3-3, after three.
The first five Wildcats reached base in the fifth, with an error allowing in the first run. Zac Frame then doubled in a run before Justin Hernandez brought in two with a single for the 7-3 lead.
Felician battled back with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth, but the bullpen shut down Felician the rest of the inning.
Zach Frame, Garrett Quinn, and Scott Borgmann combined for 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, striking out six in the process. John Grybowski went 4.1 innings to improve to 3-2 overall while Borgmann struck out a pair for his fourth save.
Brandon Grygo batted 4-for-5 with three doubles in game two while Frame batted 2-for-2 with a double. Cam Trego and Justin Hernandez finished 2-for-3 each as well.
UP NEXT:
Game three of the CACC series is set for Sunday afternoon, as the teams come to New Castle, Delaware, for the rubber match. The first pitch is set for 12:00 p.m. at Wilson Field.