Kress Collects Second CACC Weekly Honor Roll Recognition
New Haven, Conn. - (4/3/2017) – There was a playoff-type atmosphere at Latshaw-McCarthy Field, on Thursday, March 30, as Chestnut Hill College hosted Wilmington University in a pair of high-stakes Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) contests. Senior Matthew Kress (Lansdale, Pa.) (2-1) went the distance in game two for the Griffins, holding the Wildcats to two runs on eight hits and one walk, while striking out three to earn himself a mention on the league’s weekly Honor Roll. It was the second such recognition for Kress who also made the CACC Baseball Weekly Honor Roll on Monday, March 6.
Both ends were well-pitched affairs as the Wildcats won the opener, 2-0, on a one-hit performance - senior third baseman Austin DiBonaventure (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.) played spoiler in the eighth inning – before the Griffins took the nightcap in extra innings, 3-2, - on a walk-off double from senior left fielder Brandon DiBona (Southampton, Pa.).
In game two, Wilmington University captured a 1-0 lead in the third inning; using a lead-off single, a sacrifice, and a two-out single plated the run. Luckily, Kress got out of the inning after another error put two Wildcats in scoring position. Their next run came in the top of the sixth inning with a one-out double to right field, a wild pitch, and a two-out single to right center, 2-0, but the Scarlet and Gold evened the score in the bottom of the frame with a lead-off double down the left field line from sophomore catcher Eric Gilham (Deptford, N.J.), a run-scoring single to left center from junior first baseman Matthew Owens (Cherry Hill, N.J.), 2-1, and a pair of two-out singles from senior pinch hitter Joseph Monaghan (Doylestown, Pa.) and Baturgil, 2-2.
The seventh and eighth innings were scoreless as did the top of the ninth as Kress continued to keep the Wildcats off balance. In the bottom of the ninth inning, a lead-off walk to Baturgil put the Griffins in motion. He moved to second base with a sacrifice bunt from freshman centerfielder Justin McFadden (Galloway, N.J.), and was joined on the bases by junior shortstop Alec Craig (Hammonton, N.J.), who drew a one-out walk before DiBona shot the first pitch he saw to the gap in left center, 3-2. Gilham (2-for-3) and freshman designated hitter Eric Small (Downingtown, Pa.) (2-for-4) each recorded two hits. Junior shortstop Alec Craig (Hammonton, N.J.) was 1-for-4 with two walks.
Chestnut Hill College continues their CACC schedule today, Monday, April 4, with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at the University of the Sciences.
