NEW CASTLE, Del. - - Kickstarting the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament, the Wilmington University baseball team put up 22 runs to defeat the North Division's top seed Dominican, 22-8, on Thursday afternoon at Wilson Field.
With the win, the Wildcats (34-20) move on to play the South Division top seeded Jefferson in the winner's bracket on Friday. Jefferson defeated Felician, 10-3, in the first game on Thursday morning. Friday's game is scheduled for an 11:00 a.m. first pitch at Wilson Field.
The Wildcats scored in every inning except the fourth, jumping out to a 9-1 lead after three innings. Kory Pritchard lifted the lid on the game with a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the first.
The Wildcats loaded the bases with no outs in the second. They got a sacrifice fly from Brandon Grygo and then a passed ball for two more runs, leading 4-0. They loaded the bases again in the third, this time with two outs. An error on a chopper to second kept the inning alive and then Brandon Grygo beat out a single to second. Kory Pritchard scored easily and then Cam Trego never stopped at third, scoring from second on the play for the two-run infield single. Tyler Pirrung added another two-run single up the middle, pushing the Wildcats lead out to 9-1.
Brandon Grygo's afternoon continued with a two-run homer to right center in the sixth for a 13-1 lead.
A six-run seventh then put the game away for the Wildcats. They again loaded the bases with no outs. Nick Classie was hit by a pitch to force in a run. D'Angelo Ponce hit an RBI single and then Shawn Edevane hit an RBI double to center. Josearmando Diaz was hit by a pitch to force in another run and all of a sudden the Wildcats were leading, 19-1.
Justin Hernandez added a sacrifice fly in the eighth, and Mason Deluca hit an RBI double in the ninth. Zach Rosenzweig completed the scoring for the Wildcats with an RBI ground out in the ninth for the 22nd run.
Xavier Cortez went six innings, allowing four runs (three earned), on four hits and three walks to move to 6-4 on the year.
Brandon Grygo went 2-for-5 with a homer and six RBI in the game. Tyler Pirrung went 3-for-3 with two walks, three RBI, and three runs scored. Garrett Quinn went 2-for-4 with three runs scored while Nick Classie and JJ Killen added two hits as well. Kory Pritchard and Josearmando Diaz knocked in two RBI each too.
The Wildcats and Rams will start at 11:00 a.m. on Friday with the winner advancing to the CACC Tournament Championship game.