MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - - Senior shortstop Christian Adorno tied a program record but more importantly helped lead the Wilmington University baseball team to a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over Millersville on Tuesday in the 2018 regular season finale.
Christian Adorno (Millville, N.J.) went 5-for-5 with two doubles and two home runs, including a game-tying solo shot in the top of the ninth. He tied the single game program record with those five hits, tying Jason Rust, Brian Testa, and Sam Goines' mark. The most recent five-hit game came on April 16, 2015 at East Stroudsburg.
The win capped the 2018 regular season for the Wildcats, as they finished 29-18 overall record with a good win over Millersville (28-16). The Marauders are ranked third in the latest NCAA Atlantic Region Poll.
After scoring first on Tuesday, the Wildcats needed to work from behind as Millersville scored three in the bottom of the third inning. The Wildcats took a 4-3 lead with a two-run seventh, but the Marauders answered back with a two-run eighth of their own to regain a 5-4 lead. The Wildcats had the last say, however, scoring twice in the top of the ninth to take the victory.
Adorno's day got started in the top of the first as he blasted his second home run of the season for the quick, 1-0 lead. Adorno started another rally in the top of the third, leading off the inning with an infield single. After a stolen base and ground out, Adorno was standing on third with two outs. Frank Nigro came through with an RBI single back up the middle to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.
Millersville answered with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the third, getting a two-out, two-run single to take a 3-2 lead.
Adorno chased Brooks Ryan all the way around the bases with a double to deep left field, tying the game at 3-3. Max Carney was able to bring Adorno in with a sacrifice fly, regaining the lead for the Wildcats.
But the Marauders had an answer yet again, starting the inning with a leadoff double. With runners on second and third, a single brought in the first run but Nick Grant gunned down the second runner trying to score. Millersville tacked on another run a batter later, getting a two-out RBI single.
Down to their last at-bat, Christian Adorno did it again with one out, homering to left field to tie the game on one swing, 5-5. Max Carney restarted a Wildcats' rally with a single before Kendall Small and Frank Nigro walked. Nick Macey bounced into a fielder's choice to second base, hustling down the line to allow Carney to score of the go-ahead run, 6-5.
Justin Mears came on for the bottom of the ninth but Millersville was able to get the tying run on second base with one out. But Mears picked up his ninth save of the season by getting a strikeout and a foul out to end the game.
Adorno went 5-for-5 with three RBI and four runs scored while Kendall Small and Nick Macey added two hits each. Matt Danz picked up his first collegiate victory in pitching the eighth inning.
The Wildcats host a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Play-In game on Saturday at Wilson Field. The winner advances to the double elimination portion of the CACC Tournament next week hosted by Post University in Waterbury, Conn.