Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
CALDWELL, N.J. – The Caldwell College baseball team faced 20th-ranked Wilmington University in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader Thursday afternoon at Kiwanis Oval. The Cougars (1-11, 0-4 CACC) lost the first game, 9-1 before suffering a 1-0 defeat in 14 innings in Game 2. Wilmington improves to 13-3-1 overall and 3-1 in league play.

In the first game, Wilmington scored four runs in the top of the first inning on three hits and two errors to take a 4-0 lead. The Wildcats added a run in the fifth before Caldwell scored in the bottom of the fifth on a single by freshman Ryan Rivera (Saddle Brook, NJ/St. Joseph) that plated junior Jack Joyce (Bayside, NY/St. Mary's). But the Cougars managed to record just one hit the rest of the way, as Wilmington cruised to a 9-1 win.

Sophomore Mike LaTorraca (West Caldwell, NJ/James Caldwell) went 2-for-2 at the plate for Caldwell. Rob Gore allowed five hits and an unearned run while striking out five in six innings to earn the victory for Wilmington.

The second game was a pitcher's dual between junior Michael Sheridan (Caldwell, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) and Jay Kluka. Sheridan blanked the Wildcats over nine innings, allowing eight hits and striking out three. Kluka gave up one hit and struck out six in six innings for Wilmington. The game went into extra innings with the score tied at 0-0.

In the top of the 11th with a runner at second and two out, LaTorraca made a diving catch in left field to keep the game scoreless. Then in the 14th, relief pitcher Jamie Treml led off with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a groundout. With two out, senior pitcher Dan Bartlett (Levittown, NY/Island Trees) struck out Tory Manfre, but the ball got away from the catcher, allowing Manfre to reach first and Treml to score the go-ahead run.

Treml earned the win in relief, pitching three scoreless innings. Senior pitcher Steve Valenti (Brooklyn, NY/Xaverian) allowed the unearned run on one hit and went 2 2/3 innings with one strikeout in the loss.

Caldwell plays a CACC doubleheader at Chestnut Hill College on Saturday, Mar. 29. The first game starts at 1:00 p.m. in Philadelphia, Pa.