LANTANA, Fla. - - An early lead was all starter Frank Samluk needed as the junior allowed one run on three hits to lead the No. 17 Wilmington University baseball team to a 9-1 victory over Adelphi at the Santaluces Sports Complex on Saturday afternoon.
Two runs in the bottom of the first was all the Wildcats (7-2-1 overall) needed on Saturday, riding the arm of Samluk who went seven innings to pick up the victory. Adelphi (1-2) scored in the top of the third, getting two of its three hits in the inning, but couldn't muster anything more off the righty.
The Wildcats got on the board first, as junior Sam Goines hit a two-out, two-run single to center field with the bases loaded, scoring Christian Adorno and Josh Hampton. Goines added another RBI single in the third, knocking in Josh Swirchak who led off the inning with a single.
Samluk continued to roll for the Wildcats, setting the Panthers down in order in the fourth and fifth, before finally giving up another base hit to lead off the sixth inning. Samluk's final inning came after the Wildcats tacked on four more runs to really open the lead.
Jesse Long doubles to left, putting runners on second and third with no outs in the bottom of the sixth. Following an Adorno walk, Jon Castro smashed a triple to center field, chasing all three runners home. Castro eventually came home on a ground ball double play by Hampton, bringing the Wildcat lead to 8-1.
Tyler Fries took over for Samluk in the eighth inning, walking a batter but inducing an inning ending around the horn double play for a scoreless inning.
Senior Nick Marics came on for the ninth inning, facing four batters while recording a strikeout in another scoreless inning for the Wildcats.
Goines led all batters with three hits, resulting in three RBIs while Jon Castro's triple resulted in three RBI while he also collected three hits and three runs scored. Swirchak and Long were the only other Wildcats to tally multiple hits, each gong 2-for-4 on the afternoon.
After losing a game against Southern Connecticut State earlier this week due to rain, the Wildcats picked up a contest on Sunday against LIU Post. The Wildcats and Pioneers will play at 9:30 a.m. at the Santaluces Sports Complex before heading to Barry University to play Adelphi once more at 6 p.m.