NEW CASTLE, Del.—The Philadelphia University dropped both ends of a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) doubleheader to Wilmington University, 4-2 and 9-1, Sunday afternoon on Wilson Field.

Philadelphia is now 4-5 overall, 1-2 against the CACC. Wilmington improves to 9-6 overall and 2-0 in conference play. With the win in game one, the Wildcats advance to the Bill Giles Invitational Tournament final to face either West Chester or the University of the Sciences on April 14 at Citizens Bank Park.

GAME ONE
Four Wilmington pitchers combined to allow just two hits and record 10 strikeouts. Starter Jamie Tremi went the first six, posted seven strikeouts, and gave up one run on one hit and four walks.

Reliever and winning pitcher Peter Monahan threw the seventh, allowing one run one hit. Tyler Fries struck out two in the ninth as he recorded his fifth save.

In the eighth, Wilmington took advantage of two Philadelphia errors and got two-out RBIs singles from Mike Annone and Matt Lopes to break a 2-2 tie.  With two outs in the inning,

Sam Goines singled to third and went to second base on a throwing error. Annone followed that up with a base hit to right field to plate Goines and put Wilmington in front 3-2. After Frank Samluk reached safely on a fielding error, Lopes singled to left for the insurance run.

Philadelphia took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth thanks to its first hit of the contest. Designated hitter Daniel Klusman (Wilmington, Del./St.Elizabeth) delivered a two-out double to center field that brought catcher John Brocious (Bellmawr, N.J./Triton Reg.), who walked to start the inning, home for the game's first run.

Wilmington answered a half-inning later with a two-run double off the bat of Annone to grab a 2-1 lead.

The Rams played small ball in the seventh to even the game at two. Shortstop Fernando Garza (Laredo, Texas/Alexander) started the frame off with a single. He went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Robbie Pelaez, third on a David McTaggart (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) ground out, and scored on a wild pitch.

Cory Dean (Danbury, Conn./Danbury) took the loss (0-2) for the Rams. Starter Casey O'Donnell (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) posted four strikeouts and allowed two runs on six hits in 5.1 innings.

Jon Castro was 3-for-4 for Wilmington, while Annone went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

GAME TWO
Annone and Samluk each had two hits and three RBIs for Wilmington, while six hurlers combined on a five-hitter.

Wilmington scored six times from the third through the fifth to get out to a 6-0 advantage. Annone highlighted a three-run third inning with a two-out two-run home run. In the fourth, the Wildcats executed a delayed steal with runners at the corners that allowed Tyler Hawthorne to score from third. One inning later, Samluk delivered a two-out RBI double and Hawthorne brought in the sixth run on a dropped pop-up.

Philadelphia used a Hector Gonzalez (Laredo, Texas/United) lead-off double to get a run back in the sixth. After Gonzalez doubled to right field, as part of a 2-for-4 game, Pelaez advanced him 90 feet with a ground out to short. Lou Karcanes (Glen Rock, N.J./Glen Rock) knocked Gonzalez in with a grounder to third.

The Wildcats tacked on a run in the seventh and two more in the ninth.

Relief pitcher Tyler Newton threw a perfect fifth inning to record the win (1-0). David Lerro (Secane, Pa./Upper Darby) suffered the loss (1-1), allowing six runs—one earned—on six hits and struck out five in 4.2 innings.

Philadelphia returns to action with a home CACC doubleheader against Concordia (N.Y.) on Tuesday, March 24 at 1:30 p.m.