FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - - Two come from behind, late game victories helped the Wilmington University baseball team even its record for its annual trip to Florida, defeating Molloy College, 7-3 and 4-3, on the final day of action on Sunday at the Nova Southeastern Complex to go 4-4 on the week.
The Wildcats (7-4 overall) scored two runs in the sixth inning to tie the score in game one and scored four runs in the seventh to win it before scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth in game two to take the lead.
Trailing 3-1 heading into the sixth inning, the bats woke up for the Wildcats as they rallied to steal the first game of the doubleheader. The sixth inning rally all started from scratch with two outs and the bases empty. Brandon Payne broke through by working a two-out walk to keep the inning alive. Adam Soley crushed an RBI double to cut it to a 3-2 deficit with four outs remaining. Kyle Hitchens tied the game during the next at-bat, making it back-to-back RBI doubles, scoring pinch-runner Joe Marciano from second.
Nick Marics worked out of a two-out, two men on jam in the bottom of the sixth to keep the game tied, allowing the Wildcats to break out with four runs in the seventh.
Jonathan Rodriguez started the seventh with a double off Lions' starter Chuck Fontana. Joe Harbach put the go-ahead run on third with a sacrifice bunt, but Rodriguez would have scored from second anyway as Mike Godwin doubled with what would prove to be the game-winning RBI. Jordan Oncay walked to put runners on first and second before Bryan Miller hit another double, scoring Godwin and moving Oncay to third. Brandon Payne came through with an RBI groundout and pinch runner Jordan Johnson scored on a passed ball to cap the scoring with the innings' fourth run.
Tim Racek came on to pitch the bottom of the seventh and quickly shut the door in game one, throwing a perfect inning with a pop up and two fly outs.
Ryan Lally started on the mound for the Wildcats, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits in five innings. He struck out five Lion batters in the no decision. Marics picked up the victory with his scoreless sixth inning.
Harbach, Godwin and Miller each hit a double and finished with two hits to lead the Wildcats. Wilmington collected six doubles in the victory.
Game two of the doubleheader started in the same fashion for the Wildcats, as they went into the second inning trailing 3-1. Wilmington needed to score a run in the fourth and two more in the sixth to pull the days' sweep over Molloy.
Freshman Matt Lopes was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch to set up the fourth inning run. Soley brought the Wildcats to within one as he ripped another double to score Lopes from second.
Starter Justin DeLong set the Lions down in the top of the fifth and sixth innings to bring the bats back up to the plate in the bottom of the sixth needing one run to tie the score. Soley started the rally with yet another double, reaching second with one out. Now with two outs, Miller reached on an error by the third baseman, scoring pinch runner Marciano to knot the game at 3-3.
The Wildcats took the lead on another Molloy mistake, as Jordan Johnson reached on an error by the pitcher, racing to third on the play and forcing pinch runner Brendan Fallers to score with the go-ahead run.
Closer Jordan Oncay came on for the top of the seventh inning, looking to leave Florida on a high note. Oncay put a man on with a hit by pitch, but induced a game-ending around the horn double play in the next at-bat to pick up the save.
Johnson, Harbach and Soley added two hits each to lead the offense for the Wildcats. DeLong threw six innings and gave up three runs on seven hits. He picked up three strikeouts before handing the ball over to Oncay who tallied his second save of the season.
Wilmington returns to Delaware on Monday and will be back on the diamond on Wednesday this week when they square off against Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference foe Post in a nonconference game at Wilson Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.