HOCKESSIN, Del. - - Eight runs in the final two innings of the nightcap allowed the Wilmington University baseball team to sweep Goldey-Beacom, 8-2 and 10-9, in their first ever meeting at Doyle Field on Sunday afternoon.
Trailing 9-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, the Wildcats (15-9, 9-3 CACC) staged an epic comeback in their final two at-bats and then needed a magic trick to escape the top of the seventh for the sweep. Goldey-Beacom (1-19, 1-9 CACC) loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh before Noah Latshaw struck out the next three batters for the sweep.
The opener was the opposite for the Wildcats, as they jumped out to an early lead over the Lightning who is playing in their first year of competition. The Wildcats scored three times in the bottom of the first, added a run in the third, before opening the lead with a three-run fourth. They led, 7-0 after four full innings.
Game one starter Sean Deely struck out nine batters in five innings of work before giving way to the bullpen. He only allowed five hits while walking two in moving to 4-0 on the season.
Rocky Ferrier, Julian Kurych, Mike Annone, Kendall Small, and Max Carney all collected two hits in the opener. Kurych scored three runs while Ferrier and Small added two runs each.
Game two didn't start off well for the Wildcats but ended in dramatic fashion.
The Lightning opened the scoring with a two-out RBI in the top of the first before the Wildcats tied it on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second. But the Lightning broke the game open with a six-run top of the third inning. They chased game-two starter Chuck Delagol after collecting six runs on five hits. John Hetterman came on to get out of the inning with a pair of strikeouts.
The Lightning tacked two more runs on in the top of the fourth inning and led the Wildcats, 9-2, going into the bottom of the fifth inning. But that is when the Wildcats came to life.
Mike Annone started the frame with a leadoff double before Logan Gilbert walked to put runners on first and second with no outs. An error brought in the inning's first run before Nick Macey drove in Kendall Small with an RBI single. Max Carny cut the Wildcats' deficit to 9-5 with a one-out RBI single through the right side.
Reliever Dan Hyatt worked around a leadoff single in the top of the sixth to bring the bats back up to the plate.
The bulk of the work came with two outs in the innings as Annone walked to put runners on first and second. Logan Gilbert started the scoring with an RBI single through the left side. Small singled to right to bring the Wildcats to within 9-8 before Regan Hidalgo put the Wildcats in front with a two-run single with the bases loaded.
The win wasn't easy, as the Lightning fought back in the top of the seventh. Back-to-back singles started the inning before Goldey-Beacom loaded the bases on an error with no outs. But Noah Latshaw buckled down and struck out the next three batters to earn the save and preserve the sweep.
Hyatt improved to 2-1 on the year with his scoreless inning of work before Latshaw earned his fourth save. Rudy Gervolino struck out three in 2.0 innings of work to get to the back end of the bullpen.
Logan Gilber and Macey led the Wildcats with two hits in the nightcap. Rocky Ferrier, Annone, Gilbert, Small, and Macey all scored two runs each in the win.
The Wildcats return home for their next two CACC doubleheaders, starting with USciences on Tuesday. The doubleheader at Wilson Field is set for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.