NEW CASTLE, Del. - - Redshirt junior Dan Hyatt dominated his way through six innings of work, leading the No. 21 ranked Wilmington University baseball team to a 10-3 victory on Sunday, giving the Wildcats the series victory over Bridgeport at Wilson Field.
Dan Hyatt (Newark, Del./Conrad) improved to 3-1 on the year by only allowing three hits and three walks, while striking out 11 batters. Hyatt is now second in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference to teammate Brad Scull with a 1.25 ERA on the year, and third overall with 30 punch-outs. He recorded the first four outs of the game via the strikeout.
The offense gave all Hyatt needed in the bottom of the second, getting two runs with the bases loaded and one out. Brett Nowell singled through the left side for the first run of the game, brining in Brock Nowell. Gage Walklett then hit a sacrifice fly to right center, deep enough to allow Frank Nigro to score for the 2-0 lead.
Leading 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth, Matt Stepnoski started a four-run inning with a leadoff double to left. Despite the Wildcats being unable to get a suicide squeeze bunt down, Stepnoski was able to work his magic on the base paths and sneak around the catcher for the first run of the inning. Now with two outs and a runner on second, Quintin Ivy lined a shot back through the box to chase Dakota Graham home for the 5-0 lead. A dropped fly ball in left allowed Ivy to score and Brock Nowell followed suit with an RBI double to right to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead in the fourth inning.
Hyatt allowed a lead off walk in the sixth but buckled down and picked up his final two strikeouts to end the frame, and his outing, while leaving the runner at first.
The Purple Knights (2-13) got to reliever Matt Frost in the seventh, scoring three runs on four hits to cut into the deficit, 7-3.
But the Wildcats picked up all three of those runs in the seventh and eighth innings, starting with a Stepnoski single up the middle to score Max Carney in the seventh. Kendall Small hit a one-out single up the middle in the eighth to score Dakota Graham and Quintin Ivy stole home on a first and third play to cap the scoring, 10-3.
Mike Cotrell got the last out of the seventh and threw a scoreless eighth before Ryan Bradigan tossed a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure the win.
Dakota Graham went 3-for-5 with a triple and two runs scored in the win while Kendall Small and Matt Stepnoski each had two hits. Stepnoski and Brock Nowell hit doubles for the Wildcats.
Conference play begins for the Wildcats with their next eight games, starting with a South Division doubleheader against USciences on Wednesday. The twinbill is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at Wilson Field.
