We're taking a look back at all-time great Chestnut Hill College Athletics games as part of our Griffin Classics series. Check out previous stories:
Chestnut Hill College baseball was on the rise heading into its 2015 season.
The team landed a spot in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) championship game in the 2013 and hosted its first CACC tournament game in 2014.
Led by CACC Pitcher of the Year Dominic Raia III '15, the Griffins posted their winningest season in 2015 and landed the third seed in the conference tournament.
"We had high expectations going into 2015 and I believe this is the year we established ourselves as one of the top teams in CACC on an annual basis," head coach Robert Spratt said.
The Griffins now had to turn regular season success into postseason success -- kicking off the CACC tournament with an opening-round 6-4 win at home over defending champion Felician College to earn a spot in the double-elimination championship weekend.
They started their stretch in Delaware with a bang, as well, knocking off second-seeded Post University, 16-3, to put themselves within one game of reaching the final.
But Chestnut Hill College would hit a bump in the road against perennial top seed Wilmington University, winners of three of the last four CACC tournaments heading into 2015. The Wildcats advanced with a 13-0 win to send the Griffins to an elimination game immediately after that lopsided result.
"We always believe in winning the next pitch," Spratt said about getting his team ready in a must-win game right after the Wilmington loss.
The Griffins' mentality helped them rally from behind in a rematch with Post, scoring five runs down the stretch to earn a 6-2 win and land a spot in the team's second tournament final in three years.
Another shot at Wilmington was set, but it would take something special to reverse the team's fortunes against the Wildcats.
Chestnut Hill College had not defeated Wilmington since the 2010 season, including a trio of losses during that 2015 slate where it was outscored 29-4.
"We played as the underdogs and put a lot of pressure on Wilmington," Spratt said. "We felt if we could knock them off in game one, we would have momentum in for a game two victory."
The Griffins came out firing, putting up six runs in the third inning – including a three-RBI double from Joseph Monaghan '17 -- to give the Scarlet and Gold a 6-1 lead.
Chestnut Hill College's lead shrunk inning-by-inning, with Wilmington clawing within a single run by the seventh, but the Griffins' pitching staff consistently stranded runners on base to cut the Wildcats' rallies short.
"Their offense was outstanding and no lead was safe while playing them," Spratt said. "We attacked that game using all of our pitchers one time through the order. Vinny Manzella ('15) was the only one to go more than two innings and was tough with runners on base. Casey Kern ('16) and Austin DiBonaventure ('17) were outstanding in their appearances, as well."
The Griffins added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning thanks to a two-out to give themselves a 9-6 lead.
Raia, after throwing six innings in a win to open the weekend, entered the game on one day's rest with a chance to close it out. But Wilmington had an answer to tie it.
"He ran into some trouble when a balk was called and then a wild pitch that hit home plate went out of play," Spratt said. "But Dom dug deep and got a huge double play to keep the game tied."
Chestnut Hill College kept battling into extra innings as Wilmington edged closer to another conference triumph. The Griffins wouldn't relent in the 11th despite the Wildcats surely looking like they had claimed the title.
With runners on first and third and one out, Wilmington had blasted a shot to deep right field. The runner on third had tagged up and scored as a dogpile ensued at home plate.
But it wasn't quite over yet.
The runner on first had rounded second by the time right fielder Mike McLaughlin '15 had caught the shot while crashing into the wall for the second out. On the runner's way back around to tag first and end the game, Griffin shortstop Preston Koehler '15 noticed something.
"The runner didn't retouch the second base bag," Spratt said. "At that point I believed Wilmington had won the title, but Preston raced into the dugout and pulled the ball out of our first baseman Pat Campion's ('16) glove then ran back on the field and touched second base where the umpire called the runner out, taking the run off the board."
"The double play was one of the most incredible moments I have had on a baseball field."
Despite fending off defeat amidst 11th inning chaos, Chestnut Hill College couldn't extend its season beyond the 12th inning. The Wildcats scored the game-winner on a single to right field, ending an upset bid.
"It was a devastating loss, but I was so proud of our program that day," Spratt said. "I realize we want to win but as I coach all I can ask for is maximum effort, and I got everything they had. It is a game I will never forget."
While Chestnut Hill College couldn't claim the title in 2015, the game was the start of a new competitive history with Wilmington. The Griffins broke their losing streak the next season and rattled off six wins in their next seven games against the Wildcats.
