LYNDHURST, N.J. - - The No. 20 Wilmington University baseball team saw its 10-game winning streak snapped but came back to split a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader, 0-2 and 1-0, at Felician to remain in second place on Monday at Lyndhurst Recreation.
Felician's (18-14, 10-4 CACC) Jerry Vasto silenced the bats of the Wildcats (24-5-1, 13-3 CACC) in the opener, as the Wildcats were only able to collect three hits. The Wildcats fought back behind the arm of Frank Samluk in game two, capturing a seventh inning run to earn the doubleheader split in the nightcap.
Wilmington's starter Ray Gambone went the distance in the first game, striking seven batters out while allowing three walks and eight hits. Felician picked up an early run and that was all Vasto needed as he struck out nine batters without issuing a walk in the complete game shutout.
With one out in the first, the Golden Falcons put the next three batters on base, getting an RBI double down the right field line by Joe Petosa. Gambone battled back to get the next two batters on strikeouts to end the threat and leave two runners on.
The Golden Falcons added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth, as Petosa was at it again with a double, this time of the ground-rule variety to score a run. Again, Gambone got the next batter out to escape the jam and leave two runners on.
Frank Samluk, Josh Hampton, and Jon Castro were the only Wildcats to record hits off Vasto, as they were only able to leave a runner on base in the third and seventh innings, not getting a runner into scoring position all game long.
The Wildcats produced more opportunities to score in the nightcap, but only cracked the scoreboard in the top of the seventh frame.
With two outs and Brody Tennant on second, Josh Swirchak singled back up the middle, allowing Tennant to race home and beat the throw.
The rest was up to starter Frank Samluk and the bullpen, as Samluk shut the down the Golden Falcons in the seventh, his final of the game. Nick Marics came on and worked around a leadoff single, stranding a man on third in the eighth. Tyler Fries finished off the victory by working around a leadoff single in the ninth, stranding the game-tying run at first base.
Samluk struck out a career best 11 batters on Monday, allowing three walks and only three hits to improve to 4-0 on the year. Fries picked up his fourth save of the season, striking out the final two batters to close the win.
Swirchak finished with a pair of hits and an RBI for the Wildcats, while Matt Lopes, Mike Jerminski, and Tennant added one hit each in the nightcap.
The busy week for the Wildcats continues on Tuesday, as they head to St. Thomas Aquinas for a nonconference doubleheader in Sparkill, N.Y. The first pitch of the two seven-inning games is scheduled for 2 p.m.