MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - - A walk-off home run spoiled the Wilmington University baseball team's season opener, as Franklin Pierce came back for an 11-10 victory to open play at the Ripken Experience last Friday night.
The weather and delays in previous games didn't allow the Wildcats and Ravens to start until 8:07 p.m. It was nearly 11:40 p.m. when the Ravens' (1-1) Hunter Wilichoski sent a fly ball to the short porch in right field at Polo Grounds for the game-winning solo homer in the bottom of the ninth.
The Wildcats (0-1) jumped all over the Ravens' starter, with Mason DeLuca sending a ball to the wall for a double, clearing all three runners on base in the top of the first. Tyler Pirrung followed with an RBI double and then scored on a wild pitch. The Wildcats led 5-0 after the top of the first inning.
Wilmington starter Derek Huff threw the first four innings, working around four walks and three hits to only allow one earned run while picking up three strikeouts. He exited with a 5-2 lead.
Leading 6-3 after six full innings, the Wildcats added three more in the top of the seventh. AJ Tropiano had an RBI groundout while Mason DeLuca later scored on a wild pitch. With two outs, Matt Warrington doubles into the left field corner, scoring Nick Classie to make it 9-3.
But the Ravens answered right back, getting a two-run homer, a two-run triple, and a bases loaded walk to score five runs and get back into the contest, 9-8.
Jack McDonald chopped one back up the middle in the top of the eighth inning to score CJ Deery, but the Raven quickly tied it in the bottom of the eighth with another two-run shot, 10-10.
Matt Warrington hit a two-out single in the top of the ninth, but the Wildcats couldn't get anything more going in the frame. Dom Grady got the first out of the bottom of the ninth, but then Wilichoski ended the game with the opposite-field homer, 11-10.
Matt Warrington went 2-for-4 with an RBI while Mason DeLuca finished 1-for-3 with three RBI. Brandon Grygo picked up his first collegiate career hit in the loss as well. The Wildcats struck out 14 times in the game while the pitchers walked 11 batters.
The Wildcats are back in action on Saturday with a doubleheader against New Haven. The first game is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. on Crosley Field.
