MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - - A walk-off in game one and a strong pitching performance in game two allowed the Wilmington University baseball team to sweep New Haven, 5-4 and 5-1, on Saturday night at the Ripken Experience.
Erik Grady hit a one-out, bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth to give the Wildcats (2-1) the 5-4 victory in the opener. Jack McDonald hit two homers and a combination of four pitchers shut down the Chargers' (1-2) offense in the nightcap, 5-1.
Game 1:
Xavier Cortez gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead with his first collegiate hit, a two-run single in the bottom of the fourth. The Chargers got one back in the top of the fifth but then Sean Glatts homered in his Wilmington debut to start the bottom of the fifth. Jack McDonald added an RBI single, and the Wildcats were leading, 4-1, after five innings.
A three-run shot in the top of the sixth tied the game for the Chargers, 4-4, and neither team got anything going offensively from there until the bottom of the ninth.
AJ Tropiano hit a one-out double to start the rally and then Glatts was hit by a pitch and CJ Deery singled to load the bases. Erik Grady then lined up back up the middle and through the infield, scoring Shawn Edevane for the walk-off win.
Matt Warrington went the first five innings, allowing a run on four hits while striking out four. Steven Mann, Alex Krick, and Dom Grady all pitched scoreless innings of relief to hold the score at 4-4.
Game 2:
New Haven led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run, but that would be all the Wildcats' pitching would give up in game two. Anthony Giordano went the first four innings, allowing a run on three hits while striking out three. Chase Flemming, Xavier Cortez, and Garrett Quinn all pitched scoreless innings of relief to close out the victory.
Jack McDonald's first home run tied the game, 1-1, in the top of the second inning, and then the Wildcats took the lead later in the inning on a passed ball.
Tristan Schoendienst came up with a key two-out, two-run single in the top of the fifth inning to widen the gap, and then Jack McDonald added his second homer of the game in the top of the seventh to make it a 5-1 game.
Garrett Quinn came on in the bottom of the seventh and pitched a 1-2-3 inning to close out the sweep.
Up Next:
The Wildcats close out their opening weekend in Myrtle Beach on Sunday as they play Staten Island starting at 12:00 p.m.
