The offensive struggles continued for the Wilmington University baseball team as they only collected seven hits in a doubleheader against American International, but the pitching only allowed four total hits as the Wildcats swept the Yellow Jackets, 2-0 and 3-1, on Saturday at the Santaluces Sports Complex.
Starting pitchers Jamie Treml and Ray Gambone shut down the Yellow Jackets (0-2), giving up one unearned run in 11 combined innings of work. Treml tossed the first six innings of game one, striking out six while only allowing two hits to improve to 2-0 on the young season. Gambone struck out a pair in five innings while allowing one hit to improve to 1-0 in the seven-inning win.
It was a two-run fourth inning that allowed the Wildcats (3-3) to come away with the victory in game one. After leading off the inning with a single to right field, Jon Castro was able to come all the way around to score the game's first run when Frank Samluk collided with the first baseman on a sacrifice bunt and an errant throw to first. Now on third, Samluk scored on a double steal, scoring on the throw as Tyler Hawthorne took second base.
The two runs were more than enough for Treml who came out and struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth on nine pitches. Mike Torres replaced Treml in the bottom of the seventh and tossed a scoreless frame as Castro picked off a runner at first to end the inning. Kyle Menchaca pitched a scoreless eighth inning with a 1-2-3 inning before Tyler Fries picked up his second save of the season with a scoreless ninth.
The four pitchers combined for the team's first shutout of the 2015 season, striking out eight while allowing four walks and three hits. Treml earned the victory to improve to 2-0 on the year and to come within a single win of tying the program record for career wins, sitting at 25.
Gambone owned the second game, keeping American International to only one hit in five innings before turning it over to Ryan Douglas and Fries to close out the victory.
The offense came around in the first inning, as the first three batters reached base. Christian Adorno and Castro singled before Sam Goines walked with no outs. Sean Feeney roped a single into centerfield to plate Adorno for the 1-0 lead but the Wildcats couldn't cash in any more runs as Hawthorne lined into an inning ending double play.
A wild play in the fourth plated another run for the Wildcats after Kyle Fries started the winning with a single. With the bases loaded, AIC centerfielder Dave Clark dropped a fly ball, allowing Fries to score but the Yellow Jackets recorded an out at third on the confusion.
The lone hiccup from Gambone came in the top of the fifth, as single down the left field line to put runners on first and third. AIC cut the deficit in half by scoring on a double steal, but Gambone got out of the jam as Brendan Fallers tracked down a blooper in shallow right field.
Ryan Douglas came on in the sixth and quickly recorded a pair of outs. After hitting a pair of batters, Douglas got out of the inning on a nice play by Connor Stevens at third, charging a bunt in the grass.
Tyler Fries entered in the seventh and tossed a 1-2-3 inning for his second save of the afternoon, totaling his third of the season.
The Wildcats close out their Florida trip on Sunday with another regional doubleheader. The Wildcats square off against Merrimack starting at 12 p.m. played at Barry University.
