WILMINGTON — Conrad entered its baseball game at Salesianum’s Fusco Fields on May 12 with a 15-0 record, while the Sals were missing a few starters and were coming off a big loss at Sussex Central. None of that mattered, however, as the Sals got a solid pitching performance from Dylan Thompson, some excellent defense, and a few timely hits that resulted in a 3-2 walkoff win.
The Red Wolves wasted no time in getting its offense going. Leadoff hitter Justin O’Connor doubled to center, and he moved to third on a single by Mark Spoor. A walk loaded the bases. Thompson got one out with a strikeout, and his teammates Chase Holsten, Jacob Andris and Hacim Martin got him out of the inning by turning a 6-4-3 double play.
Salesianum took that momentum into its half of the first. Jack Bujnowski singled to open the inning, and after Conrad starter Nick Dello Buono retired the next two batters, he walked Landon Johnston. Bujnowski came around to score on a single by Brady Nabb.
Conrad tied the game in the third. Sawyer DeLuca walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and again to third on a stolen base. A two-out single from Carter Bartkowski scored the run.
Two innings later, the Red Wolves took the lead. Dello Buono doubled to left with one out, and after Thompson recorded out No. 2 on a comebacker, Bartkowski delivered again with another run-scoring single.
After allowing that first-inning run, Dello Buono pitched like one of the state’s best. He retired eight in a row and 15 of 18 beginning with the final out of the first through the sixth inning. A three-base throwing error, however, opened the door for the Sals in the seventh.
Holsten was the beneficiary of that miscue, and the next batter, Martin, drove a double to the base of the fence in left, tying the score. Martin took third on a wild pitch, putting the winning run just 90 feet away with no outs. Dello Buono struck out one batter, but he hit Tai Wu, reaching the pitch-count limit, and DeLuca came on in relief.
Bujnowski was walked intentionally to load the bases. With the infield in, Thompson smacked a ball back off the mound, and the infield was unable to make a play, scoring Martin with the winning run.
Thompson allowed seven hits and two runs in 4.2 innings, striking out three. Jeremy Marandola covered the other 2.1 innings, giving up no hits, to get the win. Bujnowski had two hits and was on base three times, scoring once. Nabb had two hits and the run batted in. Salesianum’s defense also made several impressive plays in the field. The Sals (11-5) will play Sussex Tech on Wednesday at 4:15 p.m. at Sports on the Beach in Georgetown.
For the Red Wolves, Dello Buono struck out eight and gave up six hits. Bartkowski had two hits and drove in both runs, and DeLuca walked three times. Conrad is 16-1 and wraps up its regular season at home on May 22 against Smyrna at 4:30 p.m.
Photos by Mike Lang.
