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| Photo Credit: Dowling Athletics Dowling is one win away from their pre-season goal |
For the third consecutive game, the Dowling Golden Lions have received tremendous starting pitching. This time it was senior JJ Bessell, who fired a complete game, allowed three runs and struck out 10 against Wilmington for the 4-3 win.
In the meantime, Bessell was working on a masterpiece. He retired the first 11 hitters of the game before a line drive through the box nearly beheaded him. He composed himself and got out of the fourth unscathed.
Bessell got into trouble in the fifth, however, when he allowed two hits and two walks to ruin the shutout and temporarily put the lead at stake. He induced a weak pop up to left to avoid further trouble, though.
The Golden Lions cushioned the lead in their half of the sixth, when JC Brandmeier was hit by a pitch with the bases load to make it 4-2.
After the first two batters were retired in the bottom of the sixth, Wilmington used consecutive doubles to make it a one-run game. That was as close as they would get.
Andrew Abreu compiled three hits for the offense, he has been on fire of late.
Bessell was tough as nails in a huge game for the a Golden Lions against the No. 1 ranked team in the tournament. Dowling will now face St. Thomas Aquinas tomorrow at noon for the chance to advance to the College World Series in Carey, NC.
They will need to win only one game, while STAC will need both. Keep in mind, they lost the ECC to them just a week ago.
