Seniors Darin Miller (Mifflinburg, PA) and Kyle Walker (Wilmington, DE) each had walk-off hits for Goldey-Beacom, which completed a two-game sweep of Wilmington (DE) by scores of 7-6 and 4-3 in the first round of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament in Hockessin, DE.
Goldey-Beacom is in the tournament's last four for a second straight year and opens its double-elimination portion next Thursday against Post, beginning at 2:00 pm. All games for that weekend will be in Waterbury, CT with the champion headed to the NCAA Tournament.
Game one was a wild affair that saw the Lightning chip away at a 4-0 deficit. Things began in the second when senior Garrett Musey (Millville, NJ) cracked a leadoff home run and continued into the fourth as junior Mitch Jolikko (Middletown, DE) continued to be a Wildcat killer, crushing a three-run long ball.
The Lightning (33-17), hosting a first-round series for a third straight year, in the fifth took their first lead at 6-4. Walker stepped to the plate in a big spot with one out and the bases loaded, coming through with a two-run single that plated Musey and Miller.
Wilmington (24-21) showed its mettle and would not go away, getting an RBI single from Tyler Pirrung in the sixth and a sacrifice fly from Matt Warrington in the ninth for a tie game.
Now it was the Lightning's turn to respond and it was another senior, on the College's Commencement Day, who came through. Miller stepped into one and hit an opposite-field shot over the right-field fence for his eighth homer of the season and 15th with the Navy Blue and Vegas Gold.
Piscataway, NJ junior Gage Bendix (2-1) struck out four over 3 1/3 innings, allowing just an unearned run for the win. Warrington struck out eight over eight innings for a no-decision before Dom Grady (2-4) only faced Miller in the ninth.
Wilmington in game two grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first when Jack McDonald lined an RBI double. Kory Pritchard added a run-scoring single in the fifth for a 2-0 margin.
But the Lightning stormed back in the sixth for a 2-2 tie. Dante DiSabatino (Middletown, DE) drew a bases-loaded walk and fellow junior Adam McEvoy (Sewell, NJ) followed with an RBI groundout.
Wilmington again was not ready to go quietly, using Pirrung's leadoff double that was followed by McDonald's sacrifice and an error for a 3-2 cushion in the seventh.
Two-out magic has been a theme this season for the Lightning and the last of the seventh proved more of the same. Musey and Walker each drew two-out walks before sophomore Anthony Charles (Mullica Hill, NJ) lined an RBI single for a 3-3 tie.
Goldey-Beacom in the top of the ninth turned a huge double play to get out of trouble, setting the stage for the day's finale. Musey again came up with a walk, took second on a wild pitch and sent the Lightning to championship weekend when he scored on Walker's long double that took one hop off the right-field fence.
Walker had three hits with Charles adding two for the Lightning. Hagerstown, MD junior Mikey Hawbaker (4-0) was outstanding out of the bullpen, striking out two over 4 1/3 innings for his third victory in his last four appearances.
McDonald, Pritchard, Brandon Grygo and Erik Grady all had two hits for the Wildcats.
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