CLERMONT, Fla. - - Fourth year head coach Mike Shehorn captured his 100th career win at the helm of the Wilmington University softball team as the Wildcats defeated Wayne State (Neb.), 12-2, and held on for the day's sweep with a 4-3 victory against Stonehill at the National Training Center on Wednesday afternoon.
The bats got going once again for the Wildcats (7-5) on Wednesday, as they smashed out 26 base hits between the two games, including 14 against Wayne State in the opener. All the scoring happened in the fifth and sixth innings against Stonehill, with the Wildcats pulling out the close game, 4-3, leaving the tying run at third base in the bottom of the seventh.
The Wildcats found themselves down 1-0 after the top of the first inning against Wayne State and didn't get on the board until the bottom of the third inning. Meghan Brown led off the inning with a walk followed by singles from Jayme Richardson and Rosa'Lynn Burton to load the bases with no outs. Alyssa Velasquez put the Wildcats on the board first with a single into left field before Kaitlyn Slater added an RBI single as well. A wild pitch brought in the third run of the inning before Whitney DeMora gave the Wildcats a 4-0 lead with an RBI fielder's choice.
Another unearned run crossed in the top of the fourth for Wayne State but the Wildcats answered by batting around and scoring eight runs in the bottom of the frame. Slater collected another RBI single while Annie Davila added an RBI single of her own. Meghan Brown brought in two with a bases loaded single before an error brought in the final two runs of the inning to make it 12-2.
Starter Brooklyn Lachette finished off Wayne State in order in the top of the fifth to put the mercy rule into effect and give the Wildcats the victory.
Game two starter Caitlyn Whiteside stranded one Stonehill runner on base in each of the first three innings before setting the Skyhawks down in order in the fourth. The Wildcats also left a great deal on base, stranding seven runners on through the first five innings of play. They were able to break the ice in the top of the sixth.
DeMora doubled down the left field line to start the inning before Becca Stanley put runners on second and third with a bunt single and a stolen base. Now with one out, Colby Wyatt singled back up the middle to score both Wildcats, giving them the 2-0 lead.
The Skyhawks answered with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the sixth, cutting the deficit in half, 2-1, with one inning to play.
The seventh inning was led by a late charge for the Wildcats, as they had a runner on first with two outs. Brown came through with a triple down the left field line, chasing DeMore all the way around to score. Katie Edgar followed suit with an RBI single to the pitcher, bringing in Brown for the much-needed insurance run and 4-1 lead.
Looking to close out the complete game, Whiteside ran into trouble as the first two Skyhawks reached base. Now with runners on second and third with two outs, Stonehill got a single up the middle to score both runs and cut the deficit to 4-3. Another single put runner son first and third, but Whiteside induced a fly ball to center to end the game and give the Wildcats its fourth straight win.
Velasquez led the Wildcats with three hits in the first game while Burton, Slater, Stanley, and Brown added two hits apiece. Edgar led the team with three hits in game two while DeMora and Brown added two hits each in the nightcap.
Shehorn is the second Wildcats coach to reach 100 wins in the program's NCAA era and is now 101-72 overall. He trails only Erin Harvey in the wins column as she led the Wildcats to 157 career wins from 2007-12.
The Wildcats return to action on Thursday when they play Minnesota State Moorhead and LIU Post at Hancock Park in Clermont, Fla. First pitch against MSU Moorhead is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.