NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The Wilmington University baseball team clinched the 2022 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division Regular Season Championship with an 11-6 win over Goldey-Beacom in Sunday's opener, splitting with the in-state rivals at Wilson Field.
The split moves the Wildcats to a 27-10 overall record and 19-5 in CACC play, one game ahead of Goldey-Beacom in the South Division. The top team in each division, earn a bye into the CACC Tournament hosted by Post University. The other two teams in each division will play a best of three series for the right to advance to the CACC Tournament.
GAME 1:
In a reversal of the midweek game, it was the Lightning that jumped out early in the contest and the Wildcats battling back. Goldey-Beacom scored at least a run in each of the first three innings, taking a 5-1 lead after the top of the first.
But the Wildcats fought back, scoring two runs in the third and fourth innings and then taking the lead for good with a four-run bottom of the fifth. They added on with another two-run sixth inning, scoring 10 of their 11 runs between the second and sixth innings.
After the Lightning hit back-to-back homers in the top of the third to take a 5-1 lead, the bats started rolling for the Wildcats. Matt Warrington hit a double off the wall in left center, chasing Adrian Jimenez all the way around from first. Quintin Ivy it a sacrifice fly later in the inning, bringing the Wildcats to within 5-3.
Matt Boyko threw a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fourth, bringing the offense back to the plate. CJ Deery stepped in with runners on second and third and hit an RBI single. Matt Warrington then hit another sacrifice fly, tying the game 5-5.
Goldey-Beacom hit their fourth homer of the game to lead off the top of the fifth, but then Boyko set the Lightning down to bring the offense back up, trailing 6-5. Jack McDonald started the inning with a double and then John Mead doubled into the corner in right, scoring both McDonald and Ivy to take the 7-6 lead. Now with two outs, Deery settled in again and hit an RBI single to center to make it 8-6. Adrian Jimenez followed with a single through the right side, completing the inning as the Wildcats led, 9-6.
Matt Boyko completed his outing with another 1-2-3 inning in the sixth and the Wildcats tacked on two more insurance runs. John Mead collected another RBI with a grounder to second and then Mead and Ivy executed a double steal, giving the Wildcats the 11-6 lead.
Scott Borgmann got the next five outs before AJ Stento came in and got a ground ball to get out of the eighth. AJ Stento then closed out the game by leaving two runners on in the ninth, completing the South Division Regular Season Championship.
CJ Deery was the only Wildcat with two hits in the game while John Mead collected three RBI. Deery and Warrington had two RBI each. Matt Boyko improved to 5-0 on the year with the win, striking out five while not walking a batter.
GAME 2:
A 10-run second inning for the Lightning nearly ended the game before it truly got underway, as Goldey-Beacom won the nightcap, 11-2, to win the three-game series, 2-1.
Goldey-Beacom brought 15 batters to the plate in the second and scored 10 runs on eight hits to take a commanding lead.
The Wildcats got on the board in the bottom of the third inning, as Erik Molinaro launched his first collegiate career home run to left. The Wildcats loaded the bases with the next three batters and John Mead brought in another run with an RBI groundout, but that's all they could get as they left two runners on.
Nic Hertzfeld went 2-for-4 in the nightcap while John Mead and Erik Molinaro had the RBI's. Matt Warrington pitched two scoreless innings before Devin McClendon pitched a scoreless seventh with two strikeouts as well.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats added a pair of nonconference games this week to close out the regular season. They head to Assumption on Tuesday before traveling to Queens (N.Y.) on Wednesday. The CACC Tournament will begin on Thursday, May 12 at 11:00 a.m. in Waterbury, Connecticut.
