WATERBURY, Conn. - - An offensive outburst in an elimination extended the Wilmington University baseball team's run in the 2017 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament, falling in the opening round, 4-0, to Dominican before coming back to defeat Philadelphia, 11-7, on Thursday at Municipal Stadium.
With the win on Thursday night, the second seeded Wildcats will play the loser of the Dominican/Chestnut Hill winner's bracket game on Friday at 3:00 p.m. Eighth seeded Philadelphia was eliminated from the CACC Tournament.
The reason they fell to the loser's bracket was the right arm of Dominican's Brett Schneider, as he went all nine innings for the complete game shutout he only allowed the Wildcats three hits and two walks in the contest.
The sixth seeded Chargers also gave Sean Deely his first loss of the season, putting two runs on the board in the fifth before scoring single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Deely fell to 7-1 with the loss, giving up four runs (two earned) on nine hits while striking out three and allowing three walks.
The elimination game had a different feel to it, as more runs were scored in the first inning than in the Wildcats' first game. The Chargers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first but the Wildcats answered with four runs on four hits to set the pace for the contest.
Rocky Ferrier led off the frame with a single before an error put runners on first and second. Nick Macey singled back up the middle to plate Ferrier from second and tie the game. Julian Kurych pulled one through the right side for another RBI single before Dan Hyatt doubled down the left field line to give the Wildcats the 4-1 lead.
Jesse Long gave the Wildcats a five-run cushion with a two-run double down the left field line in the third. He would eventually come home on a throwing error by the catcher for the 7-1 lead after three innings. Kurych added an RBI triple to right center in the fourth for the 8-1 lead before the Rams started to chip away.
The Rams loaded the bases with one out, forcing starter Chuck Delagol from the mound. A sac fly brought in the first run before a bases clearing double off the bat of Jeff Briggs brought the Rams to within 8-5.
The momentum swung back in favor of the Wildcats in the bottom of the inning, however, as Hyatt came through with another big two-out, two-run double to score Macey and Max Carney. Hyatt then took matters into his own hands and stole third and was able to come home on another throwing error by the catcher for the 11-5 advantage.
Philadelphia scored a two-out run in the seventh and another two-out run in the ninth, but the Wildcats' receivers shut the door to stay alive. Brad Scull pitched 1.1 innings before Zach Rumford tossed a scoreless eighth. Noah Latshaw came on in the ninth to ensure the victory.
Ferrier, Macey, Kurych, Hyatt, and Long all collected two hits in the nightcap. Hyatt finished with four RBI while Kurych and Long added two RBI each.