NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The Wilmington University baseball team earned a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference split against Nyack on Sunday afternoon, winning the opener, 5-3, before falling in the nightcap, 3-1, at Wilson Field.
The Wildcats (25-14, 15-5 CACC) broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the fifth in the opener but could only come up with three hits in the nightcap, stranding 10 base runners in succumbing to the split against Nyack (21-14, 10-8 CACC).
Mike Annone started the scoring in the opener with a RBI double in the bottom of the first, but the Wildcats found themselves down 2-1 going to the bottom of the fourth.
Kendall Small hit a one out double and was chased home two batters later as Regan Hidalgo doubled to the gap to left field to tie the game, 2-2. Dan Hyatt than executed a perfect squeeze bunt to plate Max Carney to move ahead, 3-2.
But the Warriors responded with a run in the top of the fifth, getting a two-out bloop hit to center. The game wasn't tied for long however, as Julian Kurych answered with a two-out hit of his own in the bottom of the fifth, scoring Annone who started a two-out bases empty rally with a walk and stolen base.
Frank Nigro lofted one into left in the bottom of the sixth to score Regan Hidalgo, adding an insurance run for the Wildcats, 5-3.
Starter Sean Deely went seven innings, striking out five batters before giving way to the bullpen. Noah Latshaw picked up two outs in the eighth but walked the bases loaded. Dan Haytt came on and struck out the final batter of the eighth before eventually striking out the side in the ninth for his seventh save of the season. Deely improved to 6-0 on the year with the win.
Hidalgo hit a pair of doubles in the win while Annone went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored.
The offense had trouble solving the Warriors' Jose Corrales in the nightcap, however, striking out six Wildcats while only giving up three hits. The Wildcats were able to work seven walks off Corrales, but the Wildcats couldn't come up with the big hit, stranding 10 runners on base.
With the bases loaded and no outs in the second, the Wildcats could only muster one run off Corrales, as Rocky Ferrier hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Nick Macey. The Wildcats loaded the bases again in the inning, but a ground out ended the threat.
Tied 1-1, the Warriors led off the top of the third with a solo shot to left and then threatened again with two outs in the inning. With runners on second a third, Jesse Barton single to right to score the runner from third, but Jesse Long produced a one-hop bullet to the plate to gun down the trailing runner, keeping the score at 3-1.
The Wildcats left two runners on in the third and put the leadoff runner on in the seventh. But Max Carney was left stranded at second as Omar Celaya picked up his seventh save of the season.
Chuck Delagol suffered his first loss of the year (5-1), giving up three runs on six hits in five innings. He struck out five Warriors.
In conjunction with Military Appreciation Day that was scheduled for Saturday, the Wildcats still held an honorary first pitch prior to today's games. Michael Small, father of sophomore first baseman Kendall Small and retired Air Force Master Sergeant, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The Wildcats return to action on Tuesday when they host Millersville for a nonconference doubleheader. The first game is a makeup game from March 15 and will start at 1:00 p.m. The Wildcats and Marauders will play a pair of seven-inning contests.
