LYNDHURST, N.J. – Sophomore reliever Quinn Taylor (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) earned his first collegiate victory in Game 1 and senior right fielder Ronnie Grant (Burlington, N.J./Burlington Township) hit a key three-run Game 2 home run as Felician University won both ends of its Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference baseball doubleheader from visiting Wilmington (Del.) University, 6-5 and 8-4, on Friday afternoon at the Lyndhurst Recreation Complex.

Felician (10-6, 2-0 CACC) was playing its 2017 home openers, as well as its first CACC games of the season. Wilmington (8-8, 2-2) is ranked No. 9 in the most recent NCAA Division II East Region writers' poll, while the Golden Falcons are the No. 4-ranked squad in the same poll.

In the opener, Felician erased deficits of 3-0 and 5-3. Grant jumpstarted a three-run game-tying Golden Falcon rally in the bottom of the fifth inning with a leadoff triple. Following run-scoring singles by Bruce Strickland (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) and Jason Polgano (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman), the hosts evened the score on Andrew LaMura's (Brick, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) sacrifice fly.

The Wildcats reached the Felician bullpen for two runs in the top of the seventh to move back ahead. Taylor (1-0) allowed both of his inherited runners to score, but limited the damage by inducing a groundout with runners on second and third and two outs.

The Golden Falcons put their first two runners on in the home half of the seventh on an error and a single. One out later, LaMura hit a ball on a line to the shortstop side of center field which went off the glove of the leaping center fielder. The play was ruled a two-run triple to knot the score, and when Brennan Price (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) followed with a deep sacrifice fly to center, Felician had its first lead of the game.

Taylor pitched a perfect eighth inning. Golden Falcon closer Dan Naif (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Liberty) loaded the bases with one out in the ninth on two walks and an infield single, but rebounded to record two strikeouts for his third save of the season.

Strickland and LaMura had two hits each for Felician. Starting pitcher John Holland (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Liberty) allowed three earned runs on eight hits in six innings of a no-decision. He struck out five batters and walked four. Sophomore second baseman Dan Hyatt (Newark, Del./Conrad) was 3 for 3 with two RBI for Wilmington, which out-hit the Golden Falcons, 10-7.

Senior righty Rob Naughton (Levittown, N.Y./Chaminade) (2-0) cruised through four innings of the nightcap, by which time the Golden Falcons had built him a 5-0 lead in the scheduled seven-inning affair. LaMura's two-out hit plated Ralph Caccavale (Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge), who had doubled, with a third-inning run. The hosts scored four times after two were out in the fourth, using two-run singles by Strickland and Polgano.

Naughton faltered in the fifth, giving up four runs on three hits and two walks. A two-run triple by Julian Kurych (Middletown, Del./Appoquinimink) highlighted the rally.. But once again, Felician had an answer. With two on and one out, Grant wrapped the first pitch he saw around the left field foul pole, restoring a four-run advantage for Felician. Naughton pitched a perfect sixth, and Naif worked around a hit batsman and a walk in a non-save situation in the seventh.

Naughton gave up four hits, struck out seven and walked four. Grant and Caccavale had two hits apiece.

Felician hosts another CACC doubleheader in Lyndhurst on Saturday, against Nyack College at 3 p.m.