CALDWELL, N.J. -- Junior DH Stephen Young Jr. (Middlesex, N.J.) ripped a single down the left field line, driving in sophomore catcher Akkash Santiago (Toms River, N.J.), capping a 10th inning rally that pushed Caldwell to a 7-6, walk-off triumph over Wilmington in the opener of a CACC baseball doubleheader at Kiwanis Oval. The win, coupled with Holy Family's doubleheader sweep over Bridgeport, secured the #4 seed in the upcoming CACC Baseball Championships for the Cougars (21-26, 14-22).

Wilmington rallied to win Game 2, 9-4, with a run in the sixth and six in the seventh.

In Game 1, the Cougars took a 2-0 lead in the second on a long home run off the roof of the building in left centerfield by junior SS Christian Rinick (Marlton, N.J.). Young Jr. scored when senior RF Liam Lombardi (Stony Point, N.Y.) took off for second on a first-and third play, and while Lombardi was tagged out, Young crossed the plate for a 3-0 Cougars lead.

A booming triple to the left center field wall by junior LF Jimmy Kurtz (Buena, N.J.) gave CU a 4-1 lead after three. After WilmU scored three in the seventh to tie it, senior 3B Sean Brown (West Orange, N.J.) came through with an RBI single in the bottom of the frame for a 5-4 Caldwell lead.

After tying the game with a two-out hit in the eighth, the Wildcats (31-19, 23-11) took the lead in their half of the 10th on an infield hit. Santiago drilled a single past the dive of the third baseman, just inside the bag, to tie it, before Young Jr. sent the Cougars bench and crowd into a frenzy with the liner that was plenty fair down the line, making a winner of freshman Johnny Amato (Roselle Park, N.J.), who gutted out 3 1/3 innings of relief. Soph John Rigas (Lincoln Park, N.Y.) was masterful over the first six, allowing just one run (unearned) and five hits while fanning five.

Soph CF Christian Petino Jr. (Flemington, N.J.) had three hits to lead Caldwell's 15-hit attack.

In the nightcap, which did not have any affect on the standings since the Cougars had clinched the playoff berth and were locked into the #4 seed, CU led, 4-2, after five on RBI hits by senior 2B Joseph Witt (No. Arlington, N.J.) and freshman CF Reymundo Gonzalez (Kenilworth, N.J.) and a two-run single by senior 1B Oscar Fajardo (Brentwood, N.Y.). A late rally gave WU the win, spoiling a fine three-inning start by junior righthander Ben Foote (Elmer, N.J.), who allowed two hits and no runs.

The Cougars take on Dominican in a doubleheader on Friday in the first round of the CACC Tournament. Should the teams split, a decisive third game would be contested on Saturday.