NEW CASTLE, Del. - - A two-out RBI single from Sam Goines in the bottom of the eighth in game two allowed the No. 19 Wilmington University baseball team to salvage a split against Philadelphia in the Wildcats Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference opener on Saturday afternoon at Wilson Field.
The Wildcats (11-3-1, 1-1 CACC) responded after every Philadelphia (8-11, 2-2 CACC) score before taking the lead in the bottom of the eighth of game two. The Wildcats took the second game, 3-2, after falling in extra innings, 2-1, in the opener.
Goines got his day started in the bottom of the fourth inning of the first game, doubling home Josh Swirchak for the 1-0 lead.
But the bats fell silent for the rest of the contest, as Philadelphia tied the game with a single run in the top of the sixth inning. Starter Ray Gambone quickly got the first two out in the inning, but then a double and a walk put runners on the corners, ending the day for Gambone. Peter Monahan came on, but couldn't get out of the inning unscathed, as the Rams singled home a run before Monahan stuck out a batter to leave the bases empty.
The score remained 1-1 until the top of the 10th inning when the Rams loaded the bases with no outs. A grounder to second brought in the go-ahead run before reliever Nick Marics induced an inning ending double-play, but the damage was done.
The Wildcats threatened in the bottom of the 10th, putting runners on first and third with only one out. But the Rams' Luke Floer picked up the save after getting an infield pop-up and a grounder to seal the victory in 10-innings.
Gambone struck out five in 5.2 innings of work, allowing only one run on five hits but walked four batters. He earned the no decision to start the doubleheader.
In the nightcap, the Rams got on the board first with a single run in the top of the second, but the Wildcats retaliated in the bottom half to tie the game. With two outs and Goines on second, Joe Marciano singled home the tying run.
Again the Rams tallied a mark in the top of the third inning, but the Wildcats responded with another game tying run in the home half. Christian Adorno reached on a leadoff walk and eventually came around to score on an error by the shortstop on a Josh Hampton ground ball.
The score remained 2-2 until the late innings, where Goines played hero once again.
In the bottom of the eighth, Swirchak walked with one out to put the go-ahead runner on base. Now on second with two outs, Swirchak came around to score without a throw to the plate as Goines singled back up the middle.
Reliever Tyler Fries ran into trouble in the top of the ninth, as he found himself in a one-out and two men on jam. But the junior recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the game, pick up the save, and earn the doubleheader split.
Goines and Brody Tennant were the only Wildcats to record a hit in both games. Goines double in the first game was the only extra base hit for the Wildcats in the doubleheader.
Junior Jamie Treml picked up the win in game two with a scoreless inning of relief, striking out a batter in a clean eighth inning. He is now 3-0 on the season. Fries picked up his third save of the young year.
The Wildcats take to the road for their next seven games overall, staying in the CACC for their next day of action. Wilmington heads to Caldwell for a midweek doubleheader on Tuesday starting at 12 p.m.
