Wilcox Goes 3-For-3 With Three RBI In Win

SWARTHMORE, PA – Visiting Washington College held off a furious rally by host Swarthmore as the Shoremen downed the Garnet, 12-10, on Thursday afternoon at Clothier Field in Centennial Conference baseball action.  Washington, who lead 12-5 entering the final half of the ninth inning, improves to 20-3 overall and 5-1 in conference play, while Swarthmore drops to 16-8 and 2-4 respectively. 

The Shoremen have won 20 games for just the second time in the history of the program.  The other time was in 1997 when the squad went 21-13 in the final season under Washington College Hall of Fame coach Ed Athey '47.  The team's 5-1 conference start is the best for the Shoremen Nine since 1998 when the team opened 6-1 in Centennial play.

Washington placed a four-spot on the scoreboard in the top of the second to grab a 4-0 lead.  With one away, senior Dwight Wilcox (Annapolis, MD/St. Mary's) singled through the left side to drive in senior John Rolewicz (Bear, DE/Salesianum) from second base for the game's first run.  The next batter, junior CY Daniel Wu (Kowloon, Hong Kong/International Secondary School) served a ball to the right-center field gap to drive in junior Tyler Cotterell (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) and Wilcox to put the Shoremen up by three runs.  With two outs, Wu scored on a two-bagger down the left field line by junior Sean Connole (Mt. Airy, MD/St. John's Catholic) to cap the four-run frame.

In the top of the third, Rolewicz made it 6-0 when he launched a two-run home run over the left field wall with nobody out.  Scoring ahead of Rolewicz was senior Ryan Normoyle (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape).

Swarthmore got on the board on a two-out, two-run two-bagger to left-center by Rory McTear to score Tim Kwilos and Spencer Ross to cut the lead to 6-2.

The Shoremen took advantage of a Swarthmore error to plate two unearned runs in the top of the sixth to grab an 8-2 lead.  Freshman Scott Matthews (Goshen, NY/Don Bosco Prep (NJ) scored on a passed ball with two outs to make it 7-2 and Connole delivered home freshman Matt Christopher (Kennett Square, PA/Unionville) on a single to right to give WC a six-run cushion.

However, the Garnet responded as Michael Cameron slammed a three-run home run down the right field line with two away in the last of the sixth with Gregory Cox and Ross scoring ahead of him to trim Washington's lead to 8-5. 

Wilcox gave Washington a five-run lead in the top of the seventh when he doubled home Normoyle and Rolewicz on a double down the left field line to give the Shoremen a 10-5 lead. 

In the top of the ninth, Matthews tripled to center with two outs to score Cotterell to make it 11-5 and Matthews scored on a base hit through the left side off the bat of sophomore Pat Kinsella (Guilford, CT/Guilford) to give the Shoremen a 12-5 lead. 

The Garnet would not go quietly in the last of the ninth, scoring five times and had the winning run on base before finally being retired.  Kwilos singled through the left side to score Zach Schmidt to trim the lead to 12-6 with no outs.  Danny McMahon scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 12-7 and Ross doubled home Kwilos and Nicko Burnett on a two-bagger to left-center to reduce the visitors' lead to 12-9 with one out.  With two outs, Ross would score with the bases loaded on a walk to Schmidt to cut the lead to 12-10 and the Garnet had the winning run on first base.  However, Christopher got McMahon to groundout back to himself for the game's final out and gave WC its 20th win of the season.

Normoyle, Rolewicz and Wilcox sparked the Washington offense in the game.  Normoyle had a 4-for-5 performance with two runs, Rolewicz was 2-for-4 with three runs scored and a pair of RBI and Wilcox was a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored.  His three hits and two doubles were a career-high for the senior.  Connole went 2-for-5 with two RBI, Matthews scored twice and Wu drove in two teammates.  On the mound, freshman Michael Long (Ellicott City, MD/Centennial) got the win and improves to 3-0.  He went 5 2/3 innings, allowing only three hits.  He walked three, struck out four and allowed five earned runs in chalking up the win.  Christopher notched his first collegiate save as he got the final two outs.  The Shoremen allowed just seven hits in the game, while racking up 15 hits on offense.

For Swarthmore, Kwilos was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Ross had two RBI and crossed home three times.  Cameron drove in three, while McTear plated two.  On the hill, Kyle Crawford took the loss and drops to 4-2 as he lasted just two-plus innings, allowing six runs on eight hits. 

Washington returns home on Saturday afternoon with 12:30 p.m. conference doubleheader versus visiting Gettysburg.