The bats came alive for the Wilmington University baseball team as it produced the most runs and hits in a single game so far this season in an 8-1 victory over NCAA Division I crosstown rival Delaware on Wednesday afternoon at Bob Hannah Stadium.

For the fifth time in the last seven games against their crosstown rival, the Wildcats (4-5) took down the Blue Hens (4-4) while producing season highs of 13 hits and eight runs scored. The Blue Hens put pressure on the Wildcats all afternoon long but the seven pitchers the Wildcats used left 12 runners on base to get out of jams in nearly every inning.

The Wildcats struck quickly in the top of the first inning as Jon Castro hit a one out triple to the wall in left center. Mike Annone pulled one on the ground to the right side, allowing Castro to score for the game's first run.

Sean Feeney doubled to the same gap with one out in the top of the fourth inning and trotted home as Sam Goines tripled to the right center field gap in the next at-bat.

The Blue Hens cut the deficit in half with a run in the bottom of the fifth as Ty Warrington singled home Brock Niggebrugge. Freshman pitcher Matt Frost worked out of a two on, one out jam to keep the Wildcats in front, inducing an infield fly and a fly out to end the inning.

The Wildcats answered the call in the next half inning, scoring twice to put some distance between them and the Blue Hens. With two outs and the bases empty, Feeney started a tally with a single and came home on a Goines double off the wall in dead center. Frank Samluk followed suit with a single back up the middle, scoring Goines for the 4-1 lead.

Peter Monahan escaped a jam in the bottom of the sixth inducing a ground ball double play after allowing the first two batters on base. Ryan Douglas induced another double play in the seventh inning, ending the frame as the Blue Hens put two on with one out. Kyle Menchaca stranded two runners in eighth inning, getting a fly ball to end the inning with runners on second and third.

The Wildcats added four insurance runs on three hits in the top of the ninth, aided by two Delaware errors. Tyler Hawthorne delivered with a pinch-hit RBI single while the Wildcats also scored on a failed pick off play, a wild pitch, and a balk in the inning.

Mike Torres closed out the contest by leaving two more Blue Hens on base in the bottom of the ninth after a lead off single and a double with no outs. Torres picked up back-to-back strikeouts before inducing a game ending ground to Christian Adorno at short.

Adorno led all Wildcats with three hits including a double and a run scored. Castro, Feeney, Goines, and Samluk each added two hits apiece. Tyler Newton earned the start and tossed two scoreless innings while only allowing one hit. Zach Rumford earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief, giving up two hits.

The Wildcats are back in action against Mercy on Thursday, playing at Mercy in a game that has switched home fields. The Wildcats and Mavericks start the nonconference doubleheader at 12 p.m.