The Chestnut Hill College Baseball team returned to conference play Friday afternoon, as they dropped both ends of a doubleheader to Central Atlantic Collegiate conference south division rival Wilmington University, 4-3 and 4-2.

The two losses even the Griffins' conference record at 5-5 as they fall to 11-18 overall.  Wilmington maintains its first place hold on the division improving to 10-1 in conference play and 18-11 overall.

The Wildcats needed an extra frame to take the first game, scoring in the bottom of the tenth inning to earn the 4-3 win.  Marlon Rose took the loss for the Griffins, giving up the tenth inning run after coming into the game to relieve Jake Schweiker to start the sixth inning.  Rose struck out three and allowed four hits while walking five in 4.2 innings of work.

Rose got the first two outs of the tenth inning before giving up a single, a walk and another single that plated the winning run.

The Griffins struck first in the contest, taking advantage of two straight throwing errors by the Wildcat catcher in the top half of the third inning and then loading the bases for Eli Meredith who singled to score RJ Huth with the first run.  Justin Geiger drove in Greg Sylvester with the second run, reaching on fielder's choice with one out.  Geiger stole second and Brendan Long was hit by a pitch to load the bases again.  Ahmaad Goldson then struck out swinging to end the inning as CHC left the bases full.

Wilmington tied the game with solo runs in the third and fourth innings before the Griffins regained the lead in the top half of the fifth with a run created by the team's speed on the basepaths.  Meredith walked and later stole second before moving to third on a wild pitch.  A single by long to left centerfield scored Meredith and gave CHC a 3-2 lead.

The Wildcats again tied the game at 3-3 with a run in the bottom of the fifth and neither team scored until the extra frame.

The Griffins had their opportunities to go ahead in regulation but were unable to score.  CHC left two runners on base in the seventh inning, a runner on third base in the eighth and two more in the ninth, including a runner on third for the second inning in a row.

Meredith reached base three times on a single and two walks and David Antone had two hits, including a double.  As a team the Griffins stole four bases in the game.

In the nightcap, it was the Wildcats who struck first, scoring single runs in their first two at-bats to take a 2-0 lead.  The Griffins rallied to tie the game at 2-2 in the top half of the fifth inning.

RJ Huth doubled to lead off the action and Geiger drew a one-out walk.  The two runners proceeded to execute a double steal, putting both in scoring position.  Andrew Sawarynski delivered the game-tying single to left field, scoring both Huth and Geiger.

Wilmington scored a run in the fifth and another in the sixth to lead 4-2 as their relief pitching combo of Tyler Brown (WP, 2-1) and Eddie Parry (Sv., 1) held Chestnut Hill to just two base runners, both on walks, in their final two at-bats to secure the win and the sweep.

Mike Kiefer took the loss for the Griffins, allowing three runs (one earned) and six hits while striking out one.   

The Chestnut Hill College baseball team returns to action on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, when they host Jefferson University at Hostelley Field.  First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.