POMONA, N.Y. - - The Wilmington University baseball team bounced back on Saturday afternoon to sweep Dominican, 9-4 and 11-2, in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action at the Palisades Credit Union Park.
The Wildcats (18-12, 12-4 CACC) needed six runs in their final two at-bats to comeback and defeat the Chargers (10-15, 5-7 CACC) in the opener before exploding for 11 runs on 15 hits in the nightcap for the CACC sweep.
The Chargers led 4-3 after the seventh inning in the opener before the Wildcats' bats came alive. Three errors aided the Wildcats in the inning, including two on back-to-back plays to start the frame. Nick Macey then reached on a dropped fly by the centerfielder, scoring two runs to spark the scoring. Now with two outs and the bases loaded, Kendall Small singled to right to score two more, bringing in Kyle Fries and Macey to grab a 7-4 lead after eight.
Zach Frederick left a two-out hit by pitch on first in the bottom of the eighth and the Wildcats tacked on two more runs in the top of the ninth. With two outs and runners on second and third, Rocky Ferrier singled to left before Fries capped the scoring with another RBI single to single, scoring Frank Nigro for the 9-4 lead.
Noah Latshaw shut the Chargers down, 1-2-3, in the bottom of the ninth for the day's first win. Ferrier led the offense by going 4-for-5 with an RBI. Fries batted 3-for-6 with an RBI and a run scored while Small and Julian Kurych led the team with two RBI each. Frederick picked up his first win of the season after starter Sean Deely pitched the first 6.0 innings with nine strikeouts.
The offensive outburst carried over into the nightcap, as the Wildcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first and a 4-0 lead after three innings. A six-run fifth inning put the game away for the Wildcats, as they led 10-1 after five innings. A single run in the top of the sixth rounded out the score for the 7-inning contest.
Leading 1-0, the Wildcats put three on the board in the third. With two outs and runners on second and third, Macey hit a two-run double to left center before Mike Annone doubled to right field to lead 4-0.
The fifth inning all started with one out and the bases empty as Max Carney doubled. Small plated Carney with an RBI single before Logan Gilbert knocked in Small with another RBI single. A wild pitch brought in another run before an error brought in two more runs for the Wildcats. Ferrier capped the inning off with an RBI single to right center.
Starter Chuck Delagol went 6.0 innings to improve to 4-0 on the season, striking out three while only allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits. Bryce Carney finished off the Chargers with a scoreless seventh inning.
Carney, Small, and Macey all collected three hit while Macey led the team with three RBI. Annone went 2-for-3 with two RBI as well. Ferrier added two hits, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.
The Wildcats return to action on Tuesday when they host Shippensburg in a single, non-conference contest at Wilson Field. The first pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.