NEWARK, Del. - - A walk-off win and a late-game lead allow the Wilmington University baseball team to sweep Chestnut Hill, 4-3 and 4-2, on Saturday at Wilson Field, stretching its winning streak to 10 games.
The Wildcats (18-11, 10-1 CACC) walked off in the bottom of the 10th inning in game one, getting a base hit from Dom Grady to win the opener, 4-3. The Wildcats then broke a 2-2 tie with a run in the bottom of the fifth before adding an insurance run in the sixth to secure the sweep, and the season series sweep from the Griffins (11-18, 5-5 CACC).
The 10-game winning streak is the longest since the 2019 season, capped by the CACC Championship final. The Wildcats also had 10-game winning streaks in 2018, 2015, and 2014, and is the longest streak since the 2013 team had a 14-game winning streak. The 2013 team then had a second 13-game winning streak later in the season, capped by that CACC Championship final.
GAME 1:
Chestnut Hill struck first with two unearned runs in the top of the third, but the Wildcats answered with single runs in the bottom of the third and fourth innings. Eddie Parry had a two-out RBI single to left in the third and JJ Killen launched his fourth homer of the year to left to tie the game, 2-2.
Chestnut Hill came up with a two-out RBI single in the top of the fifth to retake the lead, 3-2, but Nick Nocella answered with an RBI single through the right side in the bottom of the inning, 3-3.
The Wildcats left two runners on in the sixth, the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, and one more on in the ninth to send the game into extra innings.
Dom Grady pitched the ninth and 10th innings and then found himself at the plate with two outs and runners on first and end. The inning started with two outs and no one on, followed by a single from Tyler Pirrung and a Matt Warrington walk. Dom Grady used the hole on the right side, allowing Pirrung to score from second to spark the walk-off celebration.
Matt Boyko pitched the first six innings and allowed one earned run on three hits while striking out six batters. Rich Albrecht pitched the seventh and eighth innings with three strikeouts before Grady went the ninth and 10th with three more punchouts.
GAME 2:
The Wildcats scored single runs in their first two at-bats but couldn't add on until late in the game. Nick Nocella collected another RBI with a base hit in the first and then Erik Grady scored from second on a ground-out to second base by Tyler Pirrung, making it 2-0.
The Griffins tied the game in the top of the fifth, ending Tyler Reinert's outing. The Griffins left two more in scoring position that inning though, as Tyler Brown worked out of the jam.
Eddie Parry came up with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning, so the game wasn't tied for long. Tyler Brown worked around a leadoff work in the top of the sixth and then Dom Grady added an insurance run with another RBI single through the right side for the 4-2 lead.
Eddie Parry then came onto the mound to close out the sweep, inducing an around the horn double play to erase a leadoff walk. A grounder to short then ended the game to give the Wildcats the sweep.
Tyler Reinert went 4.1 innings in the no decision, allowing two runs on three hits and five walks. Tyler Brown earned the win in relief with 1.2 innings thrown before Parry picked up his first save as a Wildcat.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats welcome Goldey-Beacom to Wilson Field for the CACC South Division single game on Tuesday afternoon. The first pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.
