LANTANA, Fla. - - Adelphia University scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to come from behind and defeat the Wilmington University baseball team, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon at the Santa Luces Sports Complex.
Dave Hatt followed his first start of the year in which he threw eight shutout innings against Merrimack with another gem, throwing seven innings, striking out six batters but left the game after giving up a run in the seventh for the no decision.
Hatt and Adelphi starter Dillion McNamara cruised through the first five innings, neither leaving more than one runner on base in any of the innings.
The Wildcats broke through in the bottom of the sixth with a single run to take the lead, 1-0. With one out, Jonathan Rodriguez started the rally with a single and advanced to second on an error by the shortstop. Joe Harbach followed with an RBI single, scoring Rodriguez from second for the games' first run. Harbach advanced to second on the throw to home and moved to third on an error by the second baseman, potentially setting up more runs in the inning. But with Jordan Oncay at the plate, McNamara got out of the inning by catching Harbach leaning off third for the third out of the inning.
Adelphi responded with a run in the seventh off Hatt on two hits, starting with a one-out single by Nick Zito. The Panthers' right fielder moved to third on the play, kick started by an error by second baseman Brendan Fallers. Chad Houghton then singled home Zito to tie the score at 1-1 after seven innings.
Tyler Fries came on in relief for Hatt in the eighth and quickly gave up a leadoff double to start the Panther rally. After Fries recorded an out on an infield pop-up, Adelphia three-hole hitter Anthony Zarella singled to bring home the go-ahead run from second base. Fries got out of the inning without any further damage, recording an out by another pop up and a fly out.
Down 2-1, the Wildcats went down in order in the eighth inning and had a final opportunity in the ninth but couldn't crack the scoreboard with the tying run.
In the ninth, Mike Godwin got things rolling with a two-out single. Oncay put the tying run on second with another single. But the Panthers brought in Matt Abramowitz to take care of Bryan Miller, inducing a game ending fielders' choice to second base.
Jordan Johnson and Oncay finished with two hits a piece while Rodriguez, Harbach, Godwin, and Miller all added a hit each to round out the teams' eight base knocks.
Fries took the loss, giving up the go-ahead run in the eight while Panther reliever James McCromack earned the win by pitching a scoreless seventh with two strikeouts.
The Wildcats will round out their Spring Break trip to Florida on Sunday when they take on Molloy College in doubleheader fashion at Lynn University in Boca Raton. The first game is scheduled to start at 11 a.m.