Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Norristown, Pa. - (3/30/2017) – There was a playoff-type atmosphere at Latshaw-McCarthy Field, where Chestnut Hill College hosted Wilmington University in a pair of high-stakes Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) contests. 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.). Junior Patrick Kelley (Pipersville, Pa.) (0-3) was solid in game one, allowing one earned run on eight hits and a walk, while striking out four. Senior Matthew Kress (Lansdale, Pa.) (2-1) went the distance in game two, holding the Wildcats to two runs on eight hits and one walk. He struck out three.
 
Unfortunately for Kelley and Chestnut Hill College (7-8-1, 3-2), sophomore Justin Mears (Georgetown, Del.) was on his mark for Wilmington University (13-9, 7-3). He kept the Scarlet and Gold off the base paths until sophomore designated hitter Eric Small (Downingtown, Pa.) drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the fifth inning, and held them hitless until DiBonaventure doubled with two out in the bottom of the eighth. Senior second baseman Jon Baturgil (Freehold, N.J.) followed with a walk, but a change of pitchers quieted the Griffin rally.
 
The Wildcats scored a run in both the seventh and ninth innings; the first was the result of a lead-off double, a sacrifice, and a two-out single down the right field line, and the second was the conclusion of a lead-off single, a sacrifice, and a throwing error.
 
Game two was just as intense with Wilmington University capturing a 1-0 lead in the third inning; again, 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 Small (2-for-4) each recorded two hits. Craig was 1-for-4 with two walks.
 
Tomorrow's CACC doubleheader at the University of the Sciences has been postponed to Tuesday, April 4, at 1:00 p.m. Chestnut Hill College plays next on Saturday, April 1, when they visit Concordia College (NY) for a twin bill of league contests.