Wrapping up the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference regular season, the Wilmington University softball team used late runs to secure a doubleheader sweep over Concordia, 4-0 and 11-2, on Saturday afternoon to secure the third seed in next week's CACC Tournament.
Senior Chelsea Botsch picked up a pair of wins in the circle on Sunday tossing the first four innings in each contest before Brooke Lachette came on to nail down the victory, earning her first save of the season in the game one victory.
The Wildcats ended the regular season with a 31-14 record, finishing 19-7 in the CACC and in third place in the CACC standings.
The offense scored three runs in the top of the second inning in game one to lead the Wildcats to victory before late runs in game two secure the doubleheader sweep with four runs in the fourth, two in the fifth, and five more in the sixth in order to finish the six-inning contest, 11-2.
Botsch tossed the first four innings of the opener, striking out eight batters while not allowing a base runner. The offense put her in line for the win with a three run second inning.
Kaitlin Slater sent a ball to right field, landing on third base to score Michelle Panasiti and Becca Stanley for the quick 2-0 lead. Kelsey Doherty reached on an error to bring in a third run in the inning, as Slater came home for the 3-0 lead.
Botsch picked up two strikeouts in the fourth inning for her final inning of work in game one, before turning the ball over to Lachette for the rest of the game in the fifth.
Lachette left two runners stranded on base in the fifth inning, catching a line drive back to the circle for the final out to leave runners on second and third.
The Wildcats tacked on another run in the seventh, allowing Botsch to improve to 16-5 on the year and Lachette picked up her first save of the season, tossing the final three innings in the win.
In the nightcap, the Wildcats and Clippers (9-23, 8-16 CACC) were scoreless after three full innings. The Wildcats put four runs on in the fourth, two more in the fifth, and tacked on five in the sixth to capitalize with a six-inning victory.
Botsch tossed the first four innings again, striking out five while allowing four hits to put the offense in position to strike again. Stanley knocked in the first run on a fielder's choice before Panasiti executed a sacrifice squeeze for the 2-0 lead. Miranda Pedersen then hit her seventh home run of the year, a two-run shot to center for the 4-0 lead.
The Wildcats added two runs in the fifth as Ziemba stole home on a part of a double steal before Stanley singled to third to score Danielle Bradley.
Concordia added two runs on three runs in the fifth but the Wildcats added five runs on six hits in the top of the sixth to put the eight-run rule into effect. Slater hit an RBI for the first run before Shannon Brantley followed with another triple to score pinch runner Taylor Rizzotte. Ziemba followed with an RBI single before coming home on a Bradley single. Katrina Swank singled through the left side for another RBI before Monique Rojas singled into center for the final run of the top of the sixth.
Lachette finished off the Clippers by leaving a leadoff single at second base, ending the game for the 11-2 victory and the CACC sweep.
Ziemba led the Wildcats with two hits in game one while Slater led the team with two RBI. Ziemba collected two more hits in game two as did Bradley and Stanley in the nightcap. Stanley and Pedersen led the team with two RBI in game two.
Botsch finishes the regular season with a CACC best 17-5 record while Lachette finished 11-7 with one save on the year.
The CACC Tournament begins on Thursday and the Wildcats will play sixth seeded Felician in the opening round at Georgian Court. The double elimination tournament will begin on Thursday morning, with the Wildcats start time yet to be determined.