NEW CASTLE, Del. - - A ninth inning wild pitch sent Kutztown to a 2-1 nonconference victory over the Wilmington University baseball team on Tuesday afternoon at Wilson Field.
Although a combined 17 pitchers were used on Tuesday, the game was an old fashioned pitcher's dual as neither team could break through. Each team scored a single run in its half of the sixth inning before Kutztown (9-7) capitalized on an opportunity in the top of the ninth.
The Golden Bears got on the board first in the top of the sixth inning, utilizing a leadoff triple. Zach Rumford was able to get the first out of the inning via a strikeout, but couldn't keep the run off the board as the Golden Bears went ahead, 1-0, with an RBI groundout.
The Wildcats (8-6) answered right back in the home half of the sixth, loading the bases with one out. Mike Annone singled to the rally before Kendall Small and Lance Gilbert walked. Nick Macey hit a sacrifice fly to center to tie the game at 1-1, but the Wildcats couldn't take advantage any further.
Wilmington left runners on second and third in the bottom of the seventh inning but couldn't get a runner home. The Wildcats went quietly in the eighth and ninth innings to drop the contest.
Kutztown put runners on first and third with one out in the ninth before a walk loaded the bases. Noah Latshaw came on and picked up a strikeout for the second out of the inning, but a wild pitch allowed the eventual game-winning run to scamper home.
Rocky Ferrier, Julian Kurych, and Annone collected the Wildcats' three hits on Tuesday, while six Golden Bears accounted for the team's six hits.
Micky Foytik was saddled with the loss for the Wildcats while Doug Conrad picked up the win with two scoreless frames for the Golden Bears. Nick Grant tossed two scoreless innings in the start before Brad Scull added two scoreless innings as well.
The Wildcats return to Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action on Friday when they play Felician in a doubleheader. It is scheduled for on the road, but the location has not been nailed down as the northeast is still trying to recover from Winter Storm Stella. Continue to check in on athletics.wilmu.edu for all the latest news and information.
