PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - Early runs and a pair of strong pitching efforts allowed the Wilmington University softball team to sweep a doubleheader away from Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference foe Chestnut Hill, 3-1 and 5-0, on Thursday afternoon at the CHC Softball Field.
The sweep extends the Wildcats' (21-17, 13-5 CACC) winning streak to five straight as Jen Fischbach and Stephanie Sarris each tossed complete games on Thursday. Chestnut Hill (6-22, 6-14 CACC) matched the Wildcats in hits in the opener but was shutdown by Sarris in the nightcap, only getting three hits in the shutout.
Junior Chelsea Botsch was the catalyst for the Wildcats in both contests, as she batted 3-for-4 and 2-for-3 in the doubleheader from atop the batting order.
In the opener, the Wildcats put the first five batters on base, as Botsch and Cambria Ziemba started the inning with infield singles. Kelsey Doherty was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Ashley Bennett collected the first RBI of the inning after getting hit by a pitch to force in a run. Ziemba then came on to score on a wild pitch before Meghan Logullo collected another RBI with a single up the middle, giving the Wildcats a quick 3-0 lead.
That was all the Wildcats' starter FIschbach would need, as she went the distance with seven strikeouts to improve to 3-3 on the season. She didn't allow a walk while only giving up a run on six hits in the complete game.
Botsch went 3-for-4 while Ziemba went 2-for-4 from atop the lineup, collecting five of the Wildcats' seven hits in the game. Logullo and Michelle Panasiti had a hit each to round out the hits for the Wildcats in the opener.
The Wildcats started fast again in the nightcap, scoring a run in the top of the first before adding two more in the top of the third.
Botsch again led of the game with a hit, this time a double to left field. Ziemba traded places with Botsch, doubling to left center to put the Wildcats on the board without recording an out.
Three straight hits to start the third produced an RBI from Logullo before Miranda Pedersen executed a squeeze bunt to bring in the team's second run of the inning and the 3-0 lead.
That was more than enough for Sarris, as she shut down the Griffins in the nightcap. In her second shutout of the season, Sarris struck out eight batters while only allowing three hits in the effort. She improved to 10-6 on the season.
Pedersen added a run for the Wildcats in the top of the fifth with her fourth home run of the season. Rice Fazio capped the Wilmington scoring with an RBI single in the top of the seventh, scoring Colby Wyatt who started the inning with a single up the middle.
Seven different Wildcats collected at least one hit in the nightcap, as the Wildcats produced 12 hits total. Panasiti led the team with a 3-for-4 effort while Botsch, Ziemba, and Wyatt added two hits each.
The Wildcats are off for the remainder of the weekend and return to action on Tuesday in a makeup doubleheader with CACC foe Post. The doubleheader at Asbury Field is set to begin at 2 p.m.