Video recap at bottom of page
NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The Wilmington University baseball team bounced back from Saturday with a Sunday Sweep of Caldwell, 4-2 and 13-11, at Wilson Field for Senior Day, jamming things up once again in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division.
With one week left to play in the regular season, the CACC South Division has four teams battling for the top three spots. Jefferson leads the Wildcats by one game while Goldey-Beacom and Holy Family are tied for third one game behind the Wildcats. Wilmington and Goldey-Beacom square off this week in a three-game set.
GAME 1:
The bats were slow to come around in the opener, but freshman starter Xavier Cortez was able to work out of trouble in multiple innings to keep the Wildcats (23-16, 12-7 CACC) in the contest.
Caldwell scored within the first three batters of the game and then loaded the bases with no outs. Cortex induced an infield fly, a strikeout, and a grounder to second to limit the damage to just one run.
Tyler Pirrung tied the game with an RBI double in the second, but Caldwell regained the lead on an error in the top of the third. Cortez induced an inning ending 6-4-3 double play in the top of the fifth to escape a leadoff double and then the Wildcats struck.
With two outs and the bases empty, CJ Deery walked to spark a rally. A wild pitch put Deery on third and Matt Warrington on second and then another wild pitch tied the game, 2-2, as Deery came home. Jack McDonald walked and then a first and third play allowed Warrington to score the go-ahead run.
Justin Barcowski worked around hitting a batter to start the sixth and the Kory Pritchard hit a sacrifice fly for an insurance run in the home half. Dom Grady came on and picked up his sixth save of the year.
Tyler Pirrung and Kory Prtichard had RBI for the Wildcats while Warrington and Pirrung doubled in the game.
GAME 2:
The Wildcats were cruising to a game two victory but then the Cougars fought back with a seven-run top of the sixth to make it a 12-10 game. The Cougars put the tying run on base in the seventh, but Alex Krick was able to work out of the jam to earn the sweep.
Caldwell struck first in the nightcap, scoring two runs int eh top of the first and one more in the top of the second for the 3-0 lead.
D'Angelo Ponce hit an RBI ground in the second to put the Wildcats on the board and a two-out error allowed Warrington to score in the bottom of the third before the Wildcats registered a hit in the game. The Wildcats' first hit was an RBI triple off the bat of Tyler Pirrung in the third and then scored on a passed ball to take the lead, 4-3.
The Wildcats loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth. Warrington grounded into a fielders' choice before Jack McDonald hit an RBI single to right. Mason DeLuca then cleared the bases with a two-run triple into the right field corner and Brandon Grygo capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to make it 9-3.
The scoring continued in the fifth with more two out magic. Nick Classie and Erik Grady singled to start a two-out rally and then Warrington hit an RBI single. Jack McDonald followed with a two-run double to right center for the 12-3 lead.
Caldwell scored seven runs on two hits, four walks, an error, and a hit by pitch in the sixth, making it 12-10 with a two-out grand slam.
Trailing 13-10, the Cougars loaded the bases with one out, putting the tying run on base. A two-out walk brought in a run but then Alex Krick picked up a strikeout for his third save of the season.
McDonald finished 2-for-3 with three RBI while Matt Warrington and Mason DeLuca had two RBI as well.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats have a key matchup against Goldey-Beacom this week, starting with a game in Hockessin on Tuesday. The first pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. at Doyle Field.
