New Castle, Del. - (3/23/2021) – Chestnut Hill College opened their Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) today, Tuesday, March 23, with an afternoon doubleheader at
Goldey-Beacom College. The first contest of the twin bill – a league affair – came down to the final at-bat as the Lightning used a lead off single, a wild pitch, a fielder's choice, and a single to right field to walk off with an 8-7 win. The later, seven-inning, non-conference contest also went in the Lightning's favor, 3-1. Senior shortstop Ameir Uzzell (Levittown, Pa.) enjoyed his return to the leadoff spot as he went 4-for-7 with three runs scored and a walk. Junior pitcher Pat Woltemate (Philadelphia, Pa.) pitched three innings of scoreless baseball (3.0IP, 1H, 1BB, 1K) at start the second game.
Woltemate gave Chestnut Hill College (3-5, 0-1) a strong start in game two, escaping errors in the first and third innings. The Griffins scored the game's first run in the fifth inning as freshman centerfielder R.J. Huth (Fairless Hills, Pa.) led off with a single and stole second base, before scoring on a Goldey-Beacom College (2-0, 1-0) error, 1-0. Unfortunately, the Lightning took the lead in the bottom of the frame, 2-1, and added a sixth-inning insurance run to outlast the Griffins. Uzzell (1-for-2), junior first baseman Andrew Dietz (Warrington, Pa.) (1-for-2), senior second baseman Patrick Meenan (Oreland, Pa.) (1-for-3), and Huth (1-for-3, 1R) were responsible for the four Griffin hits.
The afternoon started off right for Chestnut Hill College as the plated three runs in the first inning of the opener. Uzzell led off the at-bat with a single to left. He moved to third on the following single from junior catcher Sam Barletta (Royersford, Pa.) and scored soon after as the Lightning shortstop threw away the pickle, 1-0. Later, run-scoring singles from sophomore designated hitter Corbin Dunnuck (Mohnton, Pa.) and freshman left fielder Anthony Coombs (Bridgeton, N.J.) gave the Griffins a 3-0 head start. Goldey-Beacom College trimmed a run off the Scarlet and Gold advantage in the third inning, 3-1, but found themselves down 4-1 after Meenan doubled in Uzzell with two out in the sixth inning. Unfortunately, five Lightning runs came in the bottom of the frame, putting Chestnut Hill College down 6-4 late in the affair. It would be a three-run eighth inning that returned the Griffins to the lead, 7-6; Meenan and Huth each batted in a run during the frame. But the Lightning responded, tying the contest in the eighth inning, 7-7, and winning it with the walk off fielder's choice, 8-7.
Uzzell was 3-for-5 with three runs, Barletta was 2-for-5 with two runs, and Meenan was 2-for-4 with two runs-batted-in (RBI). Junior Billy Bethel (Yardley, Pa.) left the contest with no decision. He allowed five earned runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out two over six innings of work.
Chestnut Hill College continues their CACC schedule on Saturday, March 27, when they visit Dominican College for a 12:00 p.m. doubleheader.
