Copyright 2016; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo of Brooklyn Lachette pitching against Upper Iowa.
CLERMONT, Fla. - - A pair of tight games did not fall in favor of the Wilmington University softball teams on Tuesday, as the Wildcats dropped game to Upper Iowa and Ashland at the National Training Center on day two of their annual Florida Trip.
A second inning solo shot was all that showed on the board in Tuesday's opener, as he Wildcats (3-7) fell to Upper Iowa, 1-0. A pair of sixth inning runs separated Ashland from the Wildcats in the nightcap, as the Wildcats fell by the score of 4-1.
Brooklyn Lachette tossed all seven innings against Upper Iowa, spinning a gem in the circle for all but one pitch in the second inning. After getting the first out of the frame, the Peacocks' sixth hitter launched a solo shot down the left field line. The run would stand as the only run of the game. Lachette finished with two strikeouts while allowing seven hits in the complete game.
Kaitlyn Slater collected the Wildcats first hit of the game in the bottom of the second, but the Wildcats didn't record another hit until the bottom of the fifth, a Danielle Bradley single. That's all Peacock pitcher Brooke Redmond gave up, as she struck out 12 batters in the complete game shutout.
Danielle Bradley dominated in the circle in the nightcap as well, but the Wildcats again found themselves behind early in the game. An Ashland leadoff double in the second inning ended in a run scored on a pass ball for the 1-0 lead.
The offense broke out in the fourth inning, as Cambria Ziemba picked up the Wildcats' first hit of the game to start things off. Now with two outs and Ziemba on second base, Colby Wyatt singled through the left side to put runner son first and third. Wyatt then executed the first and third place perfectly, getting caught in a rundown long enough to allow Ziemba to cross the plate.
Bradley was able to leave two on in the fourth inning, but the magic wasn't there in the fifth inning as Ashland regained the lead. A leadoff double eventually scored on an error to put the Eagles back on top, 2-1.
The Wildcats best chance came in the sixth inning, as Taylor Rizzotte started the Wildcats off with a single through the left side. Jazmeen Llamas came up with a one-out bunt single to put runners on first and third, but Rizzotte was gunned down as Becca Stanley put one the other way to the first baseman. Wyatt then popped up in the infield to end the inning empty handed.
An Ashland sacrifice fly and a double steal put two more on the board in the bottom of the sixth, extending the lead out to 4-1. The Wildcats went down in order in the top of the seventh to end the contest.
Ziemba, Llamas, Wyatt, Slater, and Rizzotte all collected one hit in the game. Bradley allowed three runs on three hits while striking out a pair before giving way to Lachetter in the bottom of the sixth.
The Wildcats have a quick turnover for their next action, as they wake up on Wednesday and plat Kutztown and Winona State in the morning. First pitch against Kutztown is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. at the National Training Center.
