No. 24 Goldey-Beacom opened its first-round series at Wilmington in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament with a 14-12 loss, but bounced back to even the series with an 8-2 victory in New Castle, DE.

The series now heads to a third and deciding game, which will be Saturday at noon in New Castle.  The winner advances to the four-team championship weekend, which also will be in New Castle.

Just for good measure, Goldey-Beacom (34-18) and Wilmington (34-20) have split their six meetings this season.

Leading 6-5 in the top of the sixth inning of game one, Goldey-Beacom plated four more runs for a 10-5 lead.  Sophomore Bobby Stewart (Newark, DE), who has played a vital role in his debut season for the Lightning, added to his already sterling resume with a three-run double to cap the scoring.

But the Wildcats got five in the last of the frame for a 10-10 tie.  Cam Trego launched a two-run homer, Brandon Grygo lined an RBI triple, scored on a wild pitch and Shawn Edevane hit a solo homer.

GBC trailed 11-10 going to the eighth, but scored twice to take the lead.  Junior Anthony Charles (Mullica Hill, NJ) hit a leadoff double, took third on a foul out, scored on a wild pitch to tie it and senior Braden Kolmansberger (Lewisberry, PA) cracked a tie-breaking solo home run.

But Wilmington scored three in the last of the frame for the final.  Tyler Pirrung clubbed an RBI double and Chase Fleming lined a two-run single.

Stewart and senior Dante DiSabatino (Middletown, DE) each had four RBI for the Lightning with freshman Brent Williams (Woodstown, NJ) getting three hits.  Grygo and Kory Pritchard each closed with two hits and three RBI for the Wildcats.

Game two saw the Lightning get a massive boost from Downingtown, PA junior Connor Blence (5-0), who won his fifth straight start and his first in this run on the road.  He was remarkable in striking out seven over a season-best nine innings for his first complete game of the year.

The offense also played a big role and that started when DiSabatino lined an RBI single in the fourth for a 1-0 GBC lead.  Stewart continued to be a stalwart with a two-run single in the fifth for a 3-0 margin.

The Lightning held a 3-1 cushion entering the sixth before ensuring the series would not end on this day.  Charles cracked a three-run homer in the sixth and senior Christian Petrillo (New Brunswick, NJ) added a two-run single in the seventh for an 8-1 contest.

Petrillo had three hits with Stewart and DiSabatino getting two apiece.  Trego and Josearmando Diaz recorded two hits apiece for Wilmington.