Copyright 2016; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Back photo by Joseph Craig.
LAKEWOOD, N.J. - - The 2016 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Softball Tournament begins on Thursday at Georgian Court University with Wilmington University earning the No. 3 seed squaring off against No. 6 Concordia at 12:00 p.m. on Field 1.
The CACC Tournament features the top eight teams throughout the regular season in a double elimination type tournament, with the winner being crowned on Saturday, April 30. The CACC Tournament winner earns an automatic bid into the NCAA Division II East Region Tournament.
The Wildcats (27-21, 20-6 CACC) are looking to win their second CACC Tournament in program history after capturing the 2014 Tournament Championship as the No. 5 seed.
All games could have a different live stat links depending on which field the game is being played on. Be sure to continue to check athletics.wilmu.edu/sports/sball/2015-16/schedule for each specific game live stat link. Game updates can also been followed by logging onto Twitter and following @WilmUAthletics.
All games on Field one will be provided with Live Video by the CACC.
Scouting the No. 3 Wilmington University Wildcats:
The Wildcats won a program record 20 games in the CACC Regular Season this year, going 20-6 to earn the No. 3 seed for the second year in a row. The Wildcat started 17-1 in the CACC before finishing 3-5 in their last four conference doubleheaders. The slide started with their CACC Tournament game one opponent, Concordia, on Thursday, April 14.
The Wildcats placed five players on the two All-CACC Teams, landing the First Team first baseman in Colby Wyatt, and First Team Utility-Pitcher in Danielle Bradley. Catcher Shannon Brantley, second baseman Jazmeen Llamas, and outfielder Becca Stanley were named Second Team All-CACC.
Llamas and Meghan Brown lead the team with a .340 batting average, each collecting 34 hits in 100 at-bats. Wyatt is third on the team with a .319 batting average, collecting a team high 45 hits, 10 of which went for doubles, two triples, and four home runs. Stanley leads the team with a .514 slugging percentage, hitting 10 doubles, two triples, and five home runs while hitting .307. Brantley is hitting .287 with nine doubles, a triple, and three home runs while catching the bulk of the games.
Bradley turned into the teams ace in the circle, finishing with a CACC fourth best 1.79 ERA in 97.2 innings pitched. She is 6-7 overall with five complete games while striking gout 78 batters. She is averaging 5.59 strikeouts per seven. When not in the circle, Bradley is either in left or the team's designated player, hitting .295 with six doubles, a triple, and a homer.
One facet of the game the Wildcats have dominated this year is on the base paths. The team leads the CACC with 69 stolen bases, 25 more than the next best finisher. The Wildcats have four players in the Top-10 in the CACC in stolen bases, led by Bradley, Stanley, and Taylor Rizzotte's team high 13, which is third in the CACC. Llamas ranks eighth in the CACC with 10 stolen bags as well.
As a team, the Wildcats are third in the CACC with a .286 batting average, fifth with a 2.37 team ERA, and fifth with a .958 team fielding percentage.
Scouting the No. 6 Concordia College Clippers:
The Clippers are making their first appearance in the CACC Tournament since the 2011 season, going 14-12 in conference play and 18-15 overall. Concordia improved five spots in the standings after being voted to finish 11th in the 2016 CACC Preseason Poll earlier this season.
Concordia did not receive any All-Conference players this year, but is led by Brittany Lampert's .390 batting average, which ranks fifth in the CACC. She gets on base at a .440 clip, sixth best in the CACC. Pitcher and first baseman Sarah Ross is hitting .298 on the season, hitting eight double and two home runs, finishing with a team second best 16 RBI. Victoria Vickerman has a team high 17 RBI on the year, hitting .265 with seven doubles, a triple, and a home run.
Ross also leads the Clippers' pitching staff with a 1.95 ERA, going 9-8 in 18 games, and throwing 14 complete games. Hannah Rubasky has started all 17 games she's appeared in, going 5-6 in 104.1 innings pitched. She's gone six complete games and carries a 2.68 ERA. Cassidy Gorgo has come out of the pen in 12 games this season, going 4-1 in 14.0 innings pitched with a 2.50 ERA.
In game one against the Wildcats during the regular season, Ross only allowed three hits in nine innings, striking out six while allowing one unearned run. She also went 3-for-3 at the plate in the game before batting 2-for-3 with a homer in the nightcap.
The Clippers are 10th in the CACC with a team .244 batting average, but second overall with a 2.32 team ERA. Concordia falls directly behind the Wildcats in sixth place with a .956 fielding percentage.
All-Time Series:
Thursday will be the 15th meeting between the two programs since the Clippers joined the CACC for the 2010 season. The Wildcats and Clippers split the regular season doubleheader this season at Asbury Field, falling 2-1 in nine innings before taking the nightcap, 8-1. The game one loss ended a streak of three straight for the Wildcats, and now hold a 9-5 advantage in the all-time series.
Thursday will be the first time these two teams have met in the CACC Tournament. The Clippers are making their first appearance in the CACC Tournament since the 2011 season, while the Wildcats are participating in their sixth consecutive postseason tournament.
All-Time in the CACC Tournament:
2005 (1-2): #3 Felician def. #6 Wilmington, 5-4; #6 Wilmington def. #4 Post, 3-0 (8); #5 Goldey-Beacom 8 def. #6 Wilmington, 8-1
2006: DNP
2007 (2-2): #3 Wilmington def. #6 Felician, 3-2; #2 Caldwell def. #3 Wilmington, 7-5; #3 Wilmington def. #6 Felician, 6-1; #2 Caldwell def. #3 Wilmington, 9-2
2008 (0-2): #4 Holy Family def. #5 Wilmington, 1-0; #3 Dominican def. #5 Wilmington, 9-4
2009 (0-2): #2 Caldwell def. #7 Wilmington, 3-0; #6 Philadelphia def. #7 Wilmington, 5-4
2010: DNP
2011 (2-2): #5 Caldwell def. #4 Wilmington, 2-0; #4 Wilmington def. #8 Felician, 7-5; #4 Wilmington def. #7 Bloomfield, 1-0; #5 Caldwell def. #4 Wilmington, 7-2
2012 (0-2): #5 Post def. #4 Wilmington, 6-1; #8 Holy Family def. #4 Wilmington, 8-5
2013 (2-2): #3 Wilmington def. #6 Holy Family, 10-2; #2 Caldwell def. #3 Wilmington, 1-0; #3 Wilmington def. #5 USciences, 1-0; #4 Georgian Court def. #3 Wilmington, 7-0
2014 (4-0): #5 Wilmington def. #4 Holy Family, 4-2; #5 Wilmington def. #1 Caldwell, 6-3; #5 Wilmington def. #3 Post, 6-0; #5 Wilmington def. #2 Georgian Court, 5-2
2015 (2-2): #3 Wilmington def. #6 Felician, 4-0; #3 Wilmington def. #2 Dominican, 3-2; #1 Caldwell def. #3 Wilmington, 4-3; #2 Dominican def. #3 Wilmington, 3-0
Overall: 13-16
Season Series and All-Time vs. CACC Tournament Participants:
#1 Caldwell University Cougars: 2015 – W 2-1/L 9-8; All-Time – 8-26; CACC Tournament – 1-7
#2 Dominican College Chargers: 2015 – L 3-0/L 4-2; All-Time – 9-20; CACC Tournament – 1-2
#3 Wilmington University Wildcats:
#4 Holy Family University Tigers: 2015 – W 1-0/W 7-0; All-Time – 12-16; CACC Tournament – 2-2
#5 Post University Eagles: 2015 – L 2-0/L 5-4; All-Time – 15-12; CACC Tournament – 2-1
#6 Concordia College Clippers: 2015 – L 2-1 (9)/W 8-1; All-Time – 9-5; CACC Tournament – 0-0
#7 Bloomfield College Bears: 2015 – W 10-4/W 5-4 (11); All-Time – 20-5; CACC Tournament – 1-0
#8 Felician University Golden Falcons: 2015 – W 3-1/W 1-0; All-Time – 21-9; CACC Tournament – 4-1
2016 CACC Softball Tournament Game Schedule:
Thursday, April 28
Game 1 - #1 Caldwell vs. #8 Felician – 10:00 a.m. – Field 1
Game 2 - #2 Dominican vs. #7 Bloomfield – 10:00 a.m. – Field 2
Game 3 - #3 Wilmington vs. #6 Concordia – 12:00 p.m. – Field 1
Game 4 - #4 Holy Family vs. #5 Post – 12:00 p.m. – Field 2
Game 5 - Game 1 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser – 2:00 p.m. – Field 1
Game 6 - Game 2 Loser vs. Game 3 Loser – 2:00 p.m. – Field 2
Game 7 - Game 1 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner – 4:00 p.m. – Field 1
Game 8 - Game 2 Winner vs. Game 3 Winner – 4:00 p.m. – Field 2
Friday, April 29
Game 9 – Game 5 winner vs. Game 8 loser – 11:00 a.m. – Field 1
Game 10 – Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 loser – 11:00 a.m. – Field 2
Game 11 – Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner – 1:00 p.m. – Field 1
Game 12 – Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner – 1:00 p.m. – Field 2
Game 13 – Game 12 winner vs. Game 11 loser – 3:00 p.m. – Field 1
Saturday, April 30
Game 14 – Game 11 winner vs. Game 13 winner – 11:00 a.m. – Field 1
Game 15 – (If nec.) Game 14 winner vs. Game 14 loser – 1:00 p.m. – Field 1