Conference play began for the Chestnut Hill College baseball team on Wednesday as they traveled to Delaware to take on perennial CACC powerhouse Wilmington University. Chestnut Hill won the opening game of the twin bill, defeating the Wildcats 10-8 while dropping the second 11-8.
The Griffins are now 4-6 overall and 1-1 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. The Wildcats, who were receiving votes in this weeks NCBWA top 25 poll, are now 9-6 overall and 1-1 in league play.
George Conway pitched three innings in relief to earn the win, giving up two runs on three hits. Rich Bonino pitched the final three innings to earn his second save of the season.
Aiden Myers banged out two hits while Michael Pascoe, Nicholas Shiffler and Matthew Sharkey drove in two runs apiece.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead which the Griffins erased with a four-run third inning. Kenyon Motley hit a one-out double to kick start the offense. Pascoe and Shiffler added back-to-back two-out doubles to tie the score at 2-2. Jackson Shollenberger was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. The two runners executed a flawless double steal to bring up Sharkey who laced a 2-2 pitch into left field to score both Shiffler and Shollenberger, giving the Griffins a 4-2 lead.
The lead was short lived as the Wildcats struck for three runs in the bottom half of the third, chasing starter Dylan Broderick and giving the hosts a 5-4 lead. Another double steal, this one with Motley and Wyatt Spinks put two runners in scoring position for the Griffins in the fourth inning. Pascoe then reached on an error which allowed both runs to score as the Griffins retook the lead 6-5.
In the fifth inning, Myers delivered a one-out single to score  Sharkey. Motley later drew a walk to load the bases and Wildcat pitcher Scott Borgmann walked three consecutive batters to give the Griffins another four-run inning and a 10-5 lead.
The Wildcats scored solo runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to pull within two 10-8. Bonino allowed a leadoff single in the eighth and ninth innings but retired the next three in the eighth and erased the single in the ninth with a double play  then getting the final out, to earn the save.
Myers drove in four runs in the second game, recording two hits, including a  three-run home run in the fifth inning. Sharkey also had two hits and an RBI.
Joe Kelly (1-2) took the loss allowing nine runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 6-2 lead after two innings of play. Myers had singled to score Shollenberger and Michael Melosky reached on an error to allow Sharkey to score in the second inning.
The score remaining 6-2 until the fifth inning when the Griffins scored five times to take a 7-6 lead. The big blow was Myers home run. Shiffler walked and Shollenberger doubled to start the inning. Sharkey then doubled to score Shiffler before Myers took the first pitch and parked it over the outfield fence to tie the game. A pair of Wildcat errors led to the Griffins final run in the inning.
A double steal in the sixth plated the Griffins final run as Myers stole second and Sharkey stole home to make the score 8-6.
The Wildcats batted around in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring five times to give the Wildcats an 11-8 lead. The Griffins were retired in order in their final at-bat as the Wildcats salvaged the split with the 11-8 win.
The baseball team returns to action on Saturday, March 14, 2026 with a home doubleheader against Dominican University at Hostelley field. First pitch is at 12:00 p.m.
