Bats Stay Hot as #21 Wilmington Baseball Take Down Stonehill, 15-5, to Begin Florida Trip

Copyright 2019; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. File photo of Julian Kurych who had three doubles and three RBI against Stonehill. Photo by Dan Lauletta. February 22, 2019 vs. New Haven at Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Copyright 2019; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. File photo of Julian Kurych who had three doubles and three RBI against Stonehill. Photo by Dan Lauletta. February 22, 2019 vs. New Haven at Myrtle Beach, S.C.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - - Big innings again carried the nationally ranked No. 21 Wilmington University baseball team, defeating Stonehill, 15-5, in the first game of their Florida trip on Saturday on the home field of the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish.

The offense didn't get rolling until the third inning, but the Wildcats (5-0) once again used crooked innings to get past the Skyhawks (3-3). The Skyhawks are ranked eighth in the NCBWA East Region Poll.

Trailing 1-0 after the top of the third, the Wildcats offense got rolling. Dakota Graham started the inning with a leadoff single followed by a Julian Kurych double. Kendall Small brought them both in with a one-out double. Two batters later, Brooks Ryan hit a two-out RBI triple to give the Wildcats a 3-1 lead.

Julian Kurych hit a two-out RBI double in fourth before the Wildcats broke the game wide open in the fifth.

The first three batters got on base for the Wildcats in the fifth inning and the first run came in on a walk. Frank Nigro then went gap hitting, clearing the bases with a three-run double to give the Wildcats an 8-1 lead. Kurych was at it again later in the inning, hitting a two-run double to score both Nigro and Dan Hyatt for the 10-1 lead.

Gage Walklett kept the scoring going in the sixth inning, bringing in Justin Mears with an RBI single before Matt Stepnoski hit a two-run double to give the Wildcats a 14-2 lead after six full innings.

Quintin Ivy capped the scoring in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring Sean Deely, who doubled, on an RBI ground out, 15-5.

Brad Scull picked up his second win of the young season with 5.1 innings pitched, striking out seven batters while only allowing two runs on three hits and two walks. Matt Frost struck out the other two batters in the sixth while Rich Albrecht struck out two in a scoreless eighth innings. Kyle Maxwell closed out the game with a scoreless ninth.

Julian Kurych went 3-for-4 with three doubles and three RBI. Frank Nigro hit two doubles and finished 2-for-4 with three RBI. Max Carney and Kendall Small finished with two hits each as well.

The Wildcats will play four consecutive games against Florida teams, starting on Sunday against NAIA powerhouse St. Thomas University. The Bobcats advanced to the NAIA World Series last season. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.