Wilmington Softball Freshman Caitlyn Whiteside Named CACC Rookie of the Week After Team Goes 6-0

Wilmington Softball Freshman Caitlyn Whiteside Named CACC Rookie of the Week After Team Goes 6-0

Copyright 2016; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo by Joseph Craig.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - A perfect 6-0 week for the Wilmington University softball team anchored by four pitching performances by freshman Caitlyn Whiteside has landed her the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Softball Rookie of the Week as announced by the conference office on Monday.

The freshman appeared in four of the six games, going 2-0 while picking up two saves against CACC opponents. Whiteside (Bermuda Dunes, Calif.) did not allow a run in 11 innings, striking out 16 batters while only allowing five hits and two walks.

The week started with a five-inning shutout against Pitt.-Johnstown, as Whiteside struck out a season high 10 batters while only allowing three hits and a walk. The win was her second of her career and her first career complete game shutout.

Whiteside relieved Danielle Bradley in the bottom of the sixth in game one at Chestnut Hill. The freshman only allowed one runner to reach via an error in the seventh, picking up her first career save.

Whiteside returned to the circle in game two against the Griffins, relieving Shannon Brantley with two outs and the go-ahead runner on first. She escaped the fifth and left a runner on first in the sixth allowing the offense to score the go-ahead run in the seventh. After a leadoff walk, Whiteside struck out the final two batters for her second win of the week.

Her final outing came in game one against Holy Family on Saturday, tossing the final 1.2 innings in relief of Bradley. The Wildcats scored the lone run of the 1-0 victory in the bottom of the first and Whiteside came on with one out and two runners on in the sixth. She left the runners on second and third, getting a line out and a grounder to second to escape the jam. The Tigers put their first two runners on in the seventh, but the freshman picked up a key strikeout and than back-to-back grounders to end the game and earn the save.

Senior Cambria Ziemba paced the offense in the 6-0 week, batting .471 (8-for-17) with a double, four RBIs, and five runs scored to land a spot on the CACC Weekly Honor Roll.

The Wildcats return to action this week as they head to CACC foe Georgian Court on Tuesday before hosting University of the Sciences on Thursday. The week concludes with a doubleheader at Dominican on Saturday.

CACC Weekly Report:
Softball