WATERBURY, Conn. - - The top-seeded Wilmington University baseball team survived the opening day of the 2026 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament with a 6-5 win over No. 4 Felician, advancing to the winner's bracket on Friday at Municipal Stadium.
The Wildcats (37-15) raced out to a 4-0 lead only to have Felician cut it to a 4-3 lead in the seventh. The Wildcats added a pair of much-needed insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh, as Felician had the tying run on base in the ninth before Scott Borgmann closed the door.
Chase Fleming went the first 6.2 innings for the Wildcats, striking out nine while allowing three runs on six hits and a walk. Fleming improved to 7-1 on the year with the win. Scott Borgmann earned his sixth save with the final 2.1 innings, striking out six while allowing two runs on five hits.
The scoring started in the bottom of the first, as Brett Walmsley hit a two-run double down the right field line, plating D'Angelo Ponce who singled and Brian Klumpp who walked. Klumpp them led off the bottom of the third with a double as the Wildcats put runners on second and third with two outs. Zach Frame came through with a two-run single, making it 4-0.
Fleming had a shutout through six innings but ran into trouble in the sixth. A walk and a double scored the first run and then a two-out double off Fleming and a two-out single off Borgmann scored two more, bringing Felician to within 4-3.
The Wildcats fired right back with two runs in the home half, all with two outs and the bases empty. Tyler Pirrung started the rally with a single and scored on a Brian Klumpp double. MJ Phillips than singled through the right side, giving the Wildcats a 6-3 lead.
With two outs and a runner on first in the ninth, Felician nearly tied the game. They got an RBI double and an RBI single in back-to-back batters, but then Borgmann struck out the final batter, leaving the tying run on first, 6-5.
D'Angelo Ponce, Brian Klumpp, and Brett Walmsley all had two hits, with Klumpp (2) and Walmsley hitting doubles. Walmsley and Frame led with two RBI each.
The Wildcats play the winner of No. 2 Goldey-Beacom and No. 3 Jefferson in the winner's bracket on Friday. The first pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at Municipal Stadium.