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NEW CASTLE, Del. - - A two-run bottom of the eighth salvaged the weekend series for the Wilmington University baseball team, defeating Indiana (Pa.), 5-3, on Sunday afternoon at Wilson Field.
Indiana (Pa.) (6-4) won the first two games of the weekend but the Wildcats (10-7) was able to score late to take one of the three games.
The Wildcats struck first with two runs in the bottom of the third inning. Garrett Quinn was on second with two outs and D'Angelo Ponce came through with a single the other way to score Quinn. The ball got under the right fielder and Ponce was on his way to third base. Mason DeLuca then blasted a ball through the win and over the head of the centerfielder, giving the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.
The Hawks answered in the top of the fourth after a two-out walk came around to score on a ball lost in the sun in the outfield. But the Wildcats responded right back in the home half as Trevor Adamo stole home as the throw from the catcher went to second trying to get Xavier Cortez.
The Wildcats couldn't throw a shutdown inning in the top of the fifth though, as the Hawks started the frame with a walk and a single. The Hawks were able to tie the game with a ball to first base, as the throw got away.
Matt Warrington came on and kept the Hawks lineup quiet in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings. The Wildcats finally got something going in the eighth, using pinch hitters to spark the offense. Kory Pritchard started the inning with a double into the gap in right center and then Chase Fleming doubled him home to give the Wildcats the lead, 4-3. Cortez followed with a sacrifice fly for the insurance run, 4-2.
Warrington went back out for his fourth inning of relief and worked around a two-out error to pick up the much-needed victory for the Wildcats.
Seven different Wildcats had hits for the Wildcats with Quinn, DeLuca, Pritchard, and Fleming all with doubles.
Anthony Giordano went the first 4.2 innings, allowing three runs (two earned0 on three hits while striking out four. Alec Roselli got out of a jam in the fifth inning with an out before turning it over to Warrington who improved to 2-1 on the year.
The Wildcats have two more home games this week, starting with 13th ranked West Chester on Tuesday. It is the Bill Giles Invitational First Round game on Tuesday, with the winner advancing to play at Citizens Bank Park later in the season.