Press Release Written by Sports Information Graduate Intern MaryKate Rumbaugh
NEW CASTLE, Del. – The Wilmington University softball team took one game from Pace University in its doubleheader at Asbury Field, winning game one, 8-2, but falling in the second game in nine innings, 3-1 on St. Patrick's Day.
Game One:
The Wildcats (10-5) came out swinging in game one from the start, as they had 10 hits and eight RBI to the Setters' three hits.
WilmU started the bottom of the first inning with the first three batters reaching base on a bunt and error from the Setters. Lauren Lopez, who was in the cleanup spot, singled to left field, scoring Rosa'Lynn Burton to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. With the bases still loaded, Lexi Baughman hit a sacrifice fly out to right field to give the Wildcats their second run of the game and take an early 2-0 lead heading into the second inning.
With two outs in the bottom of the second inning, Burton hit her second bunt single of the game, before Kiana Broderson-Jones was walked to bring up Alyssa Velasquez. Velasquez than tripled to left field to score both Burton and Broderson-Jones to bring Lopez up to the plate again. Lopez kept it going with a double over the left fielder's head to score Velasquez and give WilmU a 5-0 lead.
The Setters would get two runs back in the top of the third inning, but freshman Kiersten Comer would make it a four run game in the bottom of the inning when she hit her first colligate career home run out to right field. The Wildcats wouldn't get their last two runs until the bottom of the sixth inning when Burton started the inning off with her fourth single of the game. With runners in scoring position, Lauren Lopez hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Burton, before Annie Davila got into the action with her first hit of the game to right center to score Broderson-Jones and make it an 8-2 game in favor of the Wildcats.
Caitlyn Whiteside would retire the side in the top of the seventh for the Wildcats. She went 7.0 innings, allowing just three hits and two walks with six strikeouts. Rosa'Lynn Burton went 4-for-4 in the game with three runs and three stolen bases. She is now two hits away from tying the all-time career hits record leader, Cambria Ziemba (2013-16) who has 201.
Lauren Lopez went 3-for-4 with two hits and three RBI, as Alyssa Velasquez had one hit and two RBI for the Wildcats.
Game Two:
Caitlyn Whiteside was dominant on the mound in game two for the Wildcats as she went seven innings without a hit, but the Wildcats could not find the bats as they fell to the Setters, 3-1, in nine innings.
Whiteside pitched a 1-2-3 inning six out of the first seven innings. The Wildcats got their first hit of the game on a single to left field from Lexi Baughman, but their second and final hit of the game wouldn't come until the bottom of the eighth inning from Courtney Dellinger, who doubled down the left field line to score Comer and tie the game up at one.
Pace would get runners in scoring position with only one out, and take their first lead of the game on an error by the Wildcats in the top of the ninth. Looking for a double play, the Wildcats got just that with a sacrifice fly hit out to center field, before they touched second base to get the runner who advanced to third out for leaving too early. The setters would still get a run from the sac fly, and take a 3-1 lead heading into the top of the ninth, though.
The Wildcats would have one last chance in the bottom half of the inning to tie things up or end the game on a walk off. Alyssa Velasquez would start the inning with a walk to put her and the ITB runner, Kiana Broderson-Jones on first and second, for Lauren Lopez to advance them on a sacrifice bunt. With the bases loaded now, the Wildcats were down to their final out, but could not come out on top as Pace would end the game with a strikeout.
Whiteside went 8.1 innings, allowing only two hits and one walk with five strikeouts. She is now 6-3 on the year. Lexi Baughman and Courtney Dellinger had both hits for the Wildcats, as Dellinger had one RBI.
Next Up:
The Wildcats are back at Asbury Field for the first Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference matchup with Georgian Court on Tuesday afternoon. Game one of the doubleheader is set for 2:30 p.m.
