MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - - The Wilmington University softball team was firing on all cylinders on Saturday afternoon, picking up two shutout victories of PSAC opponents, blanking Shippensburg, 9-0, before shutting down Lock Haven, 7-0, in the nightcap on day two of the 2017 Snowbird Softball Freeze Out Tournament.
Sophomore pitcher Caitlyn Whiteside tossed her second consecutive complete game shutout, striking out six batters while only allowing four hits against the Red Raiders. She then came on and finished off the shutout against Lock Haven, pitching the final three innings with only allowing two hits to pick up the save. The Wildcats pitching staff has three shutouts on the season and haven't allowed an earned run in four games.
The offense continued to strike early on Saturday, getting three runs in the top of the first inning against Shippensburg. Rosa'Lyn Burton started the game with a double and eventually scored on a wild pitch before Colby Wyatt knocked in Alyssa Velasquez with an RBI groundout. Becca Stanley doubled to keep the inning alive and Kaitlyn Slater brought her in with an infield single and an error.
Mirabella Klebart started the second with a leadoff double and Burton brought her in with her second double in as many innings. The Wildcats continued to score three more runs on Red Raider miscues in the inning before Wyatt capped the five-run inning with a solo homer to center and the 8-0 lead.
The duo at the top of the lineup created havoc again in the fourth, as Burton led off the inning by reaching on an error. With Burton on second, Velasquez singled into right field to chase Burton home for the 9-0 lead. Whiteside finished off the Red Raiders by striking out the side in the bottom of the fifth for the mercy rule win.
The ball was flying out of the park in the nightcap, as the Wildcats once again struck early against Lock Haven. An error put Velasquez on with an out in the top of the first and Whitney DeMora made the Bald Eagles pay with a two-run shot to center field.
Starter Danielle Bradley kept Lock Haven in check through the first three innings, only allowing one hit. That allowed Wyatt to step in at the plate in the top of the fourth and launch a solo homer to left center for the 3-0 lead. Burton started a two-out rally in the top of the fifth with a single and stolen base, allowing Velasquez to bring her in with another single and the 4-0 lead. The Wildcats put the game away in the sixth, as Klebart smacked her first collegiate career homer with Meghan Brown and Slater on base to put Wilmington ahead, 7-0.
Bradley spun the first four innings, striking out four batters while only allowing two hits for the win. Whiteside came on in relief for the final three innings, striking out a pair while only allowing two hits for her first save.
Burton collected two hits in each game, going 4-for-7 with four runs scored. Velasquez was the only other Wildcat to collect more than two hits combined, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored in the two games.
The Wildcats conclude their three-day trip to Myrtle Beach on Sunday with two more games at the 2017 Snowbird Softball Freeze Out Tournament. They will start the day with Merrimack at 10:00 a.m. before finishing the weekend with Concord at 12:00 p.m.