The Wilmington University baseball team scored 11 runs in the first three innings to carry it to a 13-7 nonconference victory at Shippensburg on Wednesday afternoon on Fairchild Field.
The Wildcats' (7-6) bats came alive again on Wednesday, coming up with two doubles, and three home runs on their way to a game above .500 for the first time this season. Shippensburg (4-12) scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth but wouldn't get any closer than 11-7 before falling 13-7.
The hitting started with the first swing of the bat, as Sean Feeney led off the game with a solo shot to the opposite field, giving the Wildcats a quick 1-0 lead.
Christian Adorno started the scoring in the top of the second inning with a BRI single, scoring Tyler Hawthorne from second. With two outs and runners on second and third, Feeney came through again with a two run single the other way to left field, giving the Wildcats a 3-0 lead.
Shippensburg earned a run back in the home half of the second with a leadoff homer to left field, but the Wildcats answered with seven runs on seven hits in the top of the third.
Mike Annone struck with a two-run home run to right center, bringing in Sam Goines for the second and third runs of the frame. After Hawthorne walked to restart the inning, Matt Lopes blasted another two-run shot to left for the 9-1 lead. Adorno continued the inning with a double before Feeney picked up his fourth RBI of the game with another single, bringing home Adorno. Josh Swirchak brought Feeney home from third on a fielder's choice, ending the scoring for the inning and giving the Wildcats an 11-1 lead.
The Red Raiders earned five runs back in the fourth inning, using three hits and an error to climb back into the ball game. But start Frank Samluk left two runners on as he induced a fly out to end the inning.
Samluk went 5.0 innings before turning it over to the bullpen, striking out five batters but issuing four walks. He allowed seven runs (five earned) on six hits while improving to 2-0 on the season.
Rob Gore tossed a scoreless sixth inning while picking up a strikeout before Chris Lopez tossed a scoreless seventh. Jake Wersinger threw a scoreless eighth inning while earning a strikeout before Tyler Fries closed out the game with a scoreless ninth inning.
Feeney, Swirchak, and Adorno led the offense with three hits each as Feeney batted 3-for-6 with four RBI and two runs scored from the leadoff position. Samluk, Goines, and Annone contributed with two hits apiece as the Wildcats tallied 17 base hits for the game.
The Wildcats remain on the road for their next contest, as they open Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action on Saturday at Philadelphia. Game one of the doubleheader against the Rams is the opening round of the Bill Giles Invitational with the winner moving on to play in Citizens Bank Park. The doubleheader starts at 12 p.m.