For the first time this season the Wilmington University baseball team was swept in a doubleheader of any kind, let alone a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference series, falling at Post, 3-4 and 3-8, on Tuesday at Municipal Stadium.
It was the first time the Wildcats (30-12, 18-2 CACC) dropped a game in the CACC all season, but the Wildcats still won the CACC Regular Season Championship, earning the top seed and a bye in the first round of the CACC Tournament next week. With the sweep, Post (20-15, 15-5 CACC) earned the No. 2 seed and a first round bye in next week's CACC Tournament.
Uncharacteristically, the bullpen couldn't hang on to a late lead for the second game in a row in the opener on Thursday, losing a 3-1 lead in the final two innings. Jamie Treml tossed the first 7.1 innings, leaving in the top of the eighth with runners on first and second. Kyle Menchaca came on but gave up an RBI double to bring the Eagles to within 3-2.
Tyler Fries replaced Menchaca and after intentionally loading the bases, picked off a runner at first and struck out a batter to escape the jam. The offense had runners on first and second in the top of the ninth with only one out, but couldn't scratch a run across for insurance.
The Eagles put the tying runner on with a one out single off Fries, before a triple to right center tied the game, 3-3. The Eagles walked-off with the game one win on an error by Christian Adorno at short, allowing the winning run to come home.
Treml struck out six batters, allowing two runs on seven hits in the no decision. Fries falls to 2-1 with the loss. Frank Samluk went 4-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored while Adorno went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Josh Swirchak added the third RBI for the Wildcats, which scored a run in the top of the first and two in the top of the seventh.
The Eagles carried the momentum into the nightcap, scoring twice in the bottom of the third and adding five more in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-0 lead after five full innings. The Wildcats got on the board in the top of the sixth with a run and added two more in the top of the eighth to cut the deficit to 7-3, but couldn't get any close, leaving the bases loaded in the top of the eighth.
Ray Gambone went the first 4.1 innings for the Wildcats, giving up seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits, falling to 4-1 with his first loss of the season. The Eagles' starter Troy Terzi went 7.2 innings while striking out five, giving up three runs (one earned) on six hits to improve to 2-1 on the year.
Swirchak batted 2-for-4, hitting an RBI double in the sixth and an RBI single in the eighth to lead the offense. Adorno, Matt Lopes, Mike Annone, and Sean Feeney all added one hit each, with Annone's being a double.
The Wildcats wrap up the regular season on Wednesday with their final regular season contest at Queens. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.