Two completely opposite games led to a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader split as the Wilmington University softball team won game one, 10-1, before Philadelphia earned a 2-1 game two victory on Thursday at Asbury Field.
The game one win ended a four game losing streak for the Wildcats (12-11, 3-5 CACC) but Philadelphia's (6-10, 3-1 CACC) Sam Abromavage shut down the Wildcats' high powered offense in game two, earning the complete game victory.
Seven of the 12 hits in the opener went for extra bases for the Wildcats, including two home runs, a triple, and four doubles. Chelsea Botsch took the early led and held the Rams in check, only allowing one run on seven hits while striking out eight batters to improve to 5-5 on the season.
The scoring started in the bottom of the first inning as Kaitlyn Slater launched her first home run of the season deep to right center, scoring Kelsey Doherty led off the frame with a walk.
Doherty than knocked in two runs of her own in the bottom of the second, putting one in the gap in right center that found its way to the fence. Taylor Rizzotte and Shannon McMahon scored on the play despite Doherty getting caught at third trying to stretch it into a triple. Slater later singled in Cambria Ziemba in the inning, opening a 5-0 lead for the Wildcats.
Ziemba slapped her second double of the game in the fourth, scoring Rizzotte from second. Colby Wyatt added an RBI single in the fourth, giving the Wildcats the 7-0 lead after four innings. The Wildcats couldn't come up with the eighth run for the shortened game in the bottom of the fifth, and the Rams took advantage by scoring their lone run on a Kasia Smith double in the top of the sixth.
Doherty started the sixth with a one out triple to right center before coming home for the 8-1 lead on a Slater single. Wyatt stepped in and took a 3-1 pitch to deep to left center for her first home run of the season, walking off with a 10-1 game one victory.
Slater batted 4-for-4 with a double and a home run, four RBI and three runs scored in the first game. Doherty, Ziemba, and Wyatt each added two hits apiece in the opener.
The nightcap was a different story however, as Abromavage allowed seven hits but stranded five Wildcats on base throughout the contest. Slater continued her hot day with another double while Danielle Bradley added a double as well.
The Rams scored first in game two, getting a lead off single, a sacrifice bunt, and a single through the right side for the quick 1-0 lead. Philadelphia added to its lead in the top of the fourth, getting back-to-back doubles with two outs and the bases empty to make it 2-0 in favor of the visitors.
The Wildcats left solo runners on base in the second, third, and fourth innings, and left the tying and go-ahead runners in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth.
Doherty started the sixth with a leadoff single but Abromavage recorded the next two outs. With runners at first and second, Wyatt delivered a single to left to bring Doherty home and put runners on second and third. But Abromavage induced Bradley to foul out to end the threat.
Seven different Wildcats collected hits in game two while Brooke Lachette was saddled with the loss after four innings in the circle. She struck out five but gave up two runs on five hits. Jen Fischbach pitched the final three innings while striking out a pair.
After a 10-game home stand in which the Wildcats went 5-5 overall, Wilmington takes to the road for its next contest, heading to Post on Saturday. The CACC doubleheader begins at 11:00 a.m. in Waterbury, Conn.