NEW CASTLE, Del. - - With a win in the first game against Dominican on Thursday, the Wilmington University baseball team finished third in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division, winning 8-6 before falling in the nightcap, 8-2, at Wilson Field.
The Wildcats (16-9, 16-9 CACC) will play on at South No. 2 Jefferson on Monday in the Divisional Semifinal of the CACC Tournament.
GAME 1:
The offense started early for the Wildcats in the opener, but they needed late insurance runs and to hang on down the stretch to seal the No. 3 seed in the upcoming CACC Tournament.
A two-out rally produced the game's first run as Quintin Ivy started it with an infield single. Now standing on third base after a stolen base and an error, Quintin Ivy scored as Shawn Haut hit another infield single.
The first five Wildcats that came to the plate in the second inning hit singles, to produce more runs. Nic Hertzfeld, Adrian Jimenez, and Erik Grady loaded the bases with singles and then Dan Hyatt followed with an RBI single. Jack McDonald hit another RBI single to right, giving the Wildcats a 3-0. Now with two outs, two runs came in on a wild pitch and the Wildcats went ahead, 5-0.
Dominican responded with a two-out, two-run triple in the bottom of the second.
Erik Grady hit a two-out RBI single in the top of the fifth to give the Wildcats the 6-2 lead, and that was enough to give the Wildcats the lead for good. Dominican hit a three-run single in the bottom half, but it only brought the Chargers to within one run, 6-5.
Shawn Haut gave the Wildcats all the support they would need in the top of the sixth, launching a two-run homer to left to go up, 8-5.
AJ Stento pitched a scoreless sixth inning and then Rich Albrecht earned his fifth save of the season despite allowing a run on a one-out double. He then picked up a strikeout and induced a fly ball to end the game, 8-6.
Shawn Haut went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Erik Grady finished 2-for-3 with an RBI as well.
Ryan Sandberg, Xander Emberger, Dom Grady, and AJ Stento all pitched scoreless innings for the Wildcats.
GAME 2:
The Chargers were the team to start fast in the nightcap, scoring four in the first and two in the first to take control of the contest.
With the bases loaded and two outs, the Chargers came through with a bases clearing double, and followed with an RBI single to go up, 4-0, in the first.
A two-run homer in the bottom of the second gave the Chargers a 6-0 lead and they added another run in the bottom of the third for the 7-0 advantage.
Nic Hertzfeld tried to get the Wildcats back in the game in the top of the fourth with a two-out, two-run triple to right center, but that's all they would get in the inning and still be down, 7-2.
The Chargers added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth and that is all Dominican starter William Espinal would need. He pitched a complete game with nine strikeouts, allowing two runs on six hits.
Brett Brooks went 2-for-3 while Nic Hertzfeld finished 1-for-3 with a triple and two RBI.