Copyright 2016; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo of Becca Stanley from game one, taken by Joseph Craig.
NEW CASTLE, Del. - - Junior Becca Stanley ensured the Wilmington University softball team would sweep Bloomfield, 10-4 and 5-4, hitting a game tying home run before clinching the series with a walk-off single in the 11th inning of game two on Saturday afternoon at Asbury Field.
In the team's Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference and home opener, the Wildcats jumped out to a big lead in game one, but needed the heroics of Stanley in game two.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh and trailing 3-1, Shannon Brantley kept the team alive with a double to right center. Stanley stepped in and hit her second homer of the season, tying the game to force extra innings.
In the extra frames, the Wildcats had a chance in the bottom of the eighth, but Sarah Coyne was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on a base hit from Kaitlyn Slater. The international tiebreaker rule came into effect in the ninth inning.
Bloomfield (5-8, 0-2 CACC) was able to scratch a run across in the top of the ninth with a one out single, but the Wildcats responded with a run of their own in the bottom half. With one out in the inning, Shannon Brantley singled through the right side to score Slater from second base.
Brooklyn Lachette found herself in a bases loaded jam with only one out in the top of the 11th, but the junior threw a 1-2-3 double play before getting a fly ball to end the threat. That set up the walk-off win for the Wildcats.
With Meghan Brown placed on second, Lachette moved the runner over to third and Stanley finished off the comeback with a single through the left side, walking off with a 5-4 victory.
In the opener, the Wildcats jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Slater started the scoring with a sacrifice fly before an error brought in another run. Lachette then doubled to right center to score Colby Wyatt. Stanley finished of the first frame with another double, bringing in Meghan Brown.
Bloomfield cut into the lead with a four run fourth inning, but the Wildcats added two more runs in the home half to regain a comfortable lead, 8-4. Jazmeen Llamas legged out an infield single to score Brantley before Wyatt executed a squeeze play for the final out of the inning.
Cambria Ziemba finished off the Bears with a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning before Lachette finished off the win for Danielle Bradley (1-4) with a three-inning save.
Brown went 3-for-3 with two RBI in game one while Ziemba and Llamas added two hits each. Taylor Rizzotte and Stanley each went 3-for-5 in the nightcap while Stanley brought in three runs. Brantley also collected three hits, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
Lachette started game two before coming back on in the extra innings to earn the win. In all, she tossed 4.2 innings, striking out three while allowing three runs (none earned) on three hits. Brantley tossed the other 6.1 innings, allowing one unearned run on eight hits.
The Wildcats remain in CACC play for their next competition, as they face Holy Family on Tuesday at Asbury Field. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m.
