NEW CASTLE, Del. – A sixth-inning sacrifice fly by Felician University sophomore catcher Levis Aguila (Miramar, Fla.) proved to be the deciding run in the Golden Falcons' 6-5 victory over host Wilmington (Del.) University during Game 1 of the teams' Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at Wilson Field. Wilmington was triumphant in Game 2, 8-5.

Wilmington (5-1, 5-1 CACC) is ranked fifth in the most recent NCAA Division II East Region writers' poll. The Golden Falcons and Wildcats were picked to win the CACC North and South Divisions, respectively, in the conference's 2021 Preseason Coaches' poll.

Both of Thursday's games were scheduled for seven innings. In the opener, Wilmington posted single runs in each of the first three frames to move ahead, 3-0. Felician, however, moved ahead with a five-spot in the top of the fourth. With two on and one out, Andrew Florides (Glen Cove, N.Y.) drove in both runners with a double. A single put runners on the corners for Alex Torres (Jackson, N.J.), who tied the game with an infield hit. Jake Stoller (Merion Station, Pa.) followed with a go-ahead RBI single, and one out later, Aguila capped the rally with a run-scoring hit.

Wilmington evened the score with a two-run home run by junior Quintin Ivy (Camden, Del.) in the fifth. But Torres led off the sixth with a single, was sacrificed to second by Stoller and advanced to third on another single. Aguila sent a fly ball to the left field warning track which was caught, but Torres easily scored the go-ahead run.

Felician reliever Justin Tucker (Neptune, N.J.) (2-0) struck out three batters in two hitless innings, and Darwin Matos (Clifton, N.J.) retired the Wildcats in order in the seventh for his first save. Torres was 3 for 3 and Florides (two RBI) and Edwin Tavarez (Garfield, N.J.) had two hits each for the Golden Falcons. Freshman catcher Jack McDonald (Pompton Lakes, N.J.) homered for Wilmington.

Felician (6-10, 4-2) went in front in the first inning of Game 2 on the first of two Mike Martinez (Union, City, N.J.) home runs, but the Wildcats took control with six runs in the second. Brock Nowell (Wilmington, Del.) highlighted the uprising with a grand slam home run, which Ivy followed with another longball.

Trailing, 8-2, in the seventh, the Golden Falcons received a three-run home run from sophomore Chris Fernandez (Boca Raton, Fla.), his first as a collegian. But the next two hitters struck out to end the game. Winning pitcher Dan Hyatt (Newark, Del.) (2-0) gave up five hits, struck out eight and walked three over five innings, and was 1 for 3 with an RBI as the designated hitter. Martinez went 3 for 3, and Fernandez was 2 for 2 off the Felician bench.

The Golden Falcons host Chestnut Hill College in a CACC doubleheader on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Lyndhurst, N.J.