Tuesday, March 19:
NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The Wilmington University baseball team battled back from a 7-0 deficit, tying the game against West Chester in the bottom of the eighth inning before the game was suspended for darkness on Tuesday at Wilson Field.
West Chester came out strong in the game, scoring five in the first inning and then adding single runs in the second and third inning to take a 7-0 lead.
The Wildcats' offense was slow out of the gates, not getting a baserunner until the fourth inning. They put a rally together in the bottom of the sixth inning though, starting with a Cam Trego double. Brandon Grygo doubled in Trego before Erik Grady beat out an infield single to plate another run. Kory Pritchard punched one through the right side for a third run and then Grady scored on a double play, bringing the Wildcats to within 7-4.
The Wildcats then loaded the bases in the seventh, but back-to-back strikeouts allowed West Chester to leave the inning unscathed.
West Chester loaded the bases in the top of the eighth, but this time it was Zack Walker and the Wildcats who were able to escape the jam unscathed.
Now up against daylight, Kory Pritchard started the eighth with a single. Jack McDonald sent one to the wall in left to score Pritchard but then the Golden Rams picked up two outs. With runners on second and third, Cam Trego singled back up the middle to tie the game, chasing both runners home, 7-7. Trego then stole second representing the go-ahead run, but a strikeout ended the inning and ultimately suspended the game due to darkness.
Tuesday was the First Round Game for the Bill Giles Invitational, so the matchup needs to be completed. The game will pick up where it left off at a later date.
Monday, April 8 Continuation:
It was not the restart the Wildcats were looking for on Monday as the teams finally got together to finish the game from March 19.
Chase Fleming came on to pitch as the game restarted in the top of the ninth on Monday. The inning started with an error, and then a second error occurred on the ensuing sacrifice bunt attempt. A walk and and hit-by-pitch brought in the first run of the inning before another walk forced in a run and a sacrifice fly made it 10-7. The Golden Rams scored three runs in the inning without recording a hit.
The Wildcats made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth inning, as Brandon Grygo and Erik Grady started the comeback attempt with singles. Jack McDonald brought in the first run with a one-out RBI single and then the Wildcats had the bases loaded with only one out. A fielder's choice brought in a second run to make it 10-9, but the Golden Rams buckled down and got a comebacker to the mound to end the threat, and the game, 10-9.
Brandon Grygo went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored while Erik Grady, Korey Pritchard, Jack McDonald, and Cam Trego all had two hits in the game. Grygo, McDonald, and Trego all had doubles.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats get back into CACC play on Tuesday, as they host Chestnut Hill in the single midweek game at Wilson Field. The first pitch of the nine-inning game is set for 3:00 p.m.
