NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The Wilmington University softball team picked up an impressive nonconference sweep over PSAC foe West Chester, winning the opener, 9-8, in 10 innings before earning the sweep with a 7-3 game two victory on Tuesday afternoon at Asbury Field.
Game One:
The Wildcats (13-8) needed to come from behind three different times just to force extra innings in the opener, and Angela Antonini capped it with a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th.
Trailing 2-0 in the second inning, Rosa'Lynn Burton had one of her five hits in the game for a two-run single before Kiana Broderson-Jones tripled in Burton. Broderson-Jones then scored on an error later in the inning, giving the Wildcats a 4-2 lead.
The Golden Rams (19-12) scored three times in the third and one more in the fourth before taking a 7-5 lead in the top of the sixth.
But the Wildcats fought back in the bottom of the sixth, as Broderson-Jones doubled in Burton for the first run of the inning. A fly ball couldn't be fielded in right on a ball by Lauren Lopez, bringing Broderson-Jones in to tie the game, 7-7.
A sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh gave the visitors an 8-7 lead, but then Burton came up with a big two-out RBI single in the home half, extending the game into extra innings.
The Wildcats turned double plays in the eighth and ninth innings to keep the Golden Rams off the board. In the bottom of the tenth and the international tiebreaker in effect, the Wildcats had runners on second and third and only one out. Angela Antonini then singled back up the middle to score Courtney Dellinger for the walk-off win, 9-8.
Burton batted 5-for-6 with three RBI, three stolen bases, and two runs scored. Kiana Broderson-Jones batted 3-for-6 with a double and a triple, two RBI, and three runs scored. Lauren Lopez went 2-for-5 with an RBI while Jazmeen Llamas scored two runs.
Caitlyn Whiteside went all 10 innings, allowing eight runs (three earned) on 10 hits while picking up five strikeouts. She is now 8-6 on the year.
Game Two:
In the nightcap, it was a seven-run inning bottom of the fifth that set the Wildcats apart for the nonconference sweep.
Trailing 1-0 going into the bottom of the fifth, the Wildcats loaded the bases without recording an out. Rosa'Lynn Burton singled off the pitcher and into no-mans land in the infield, brining in the first two runs. Broderson-Jones then lined one into left center for another two-run single and the 4-1 lead.
The Wildcats reloaded the bases with one out and Angela Antonini forced in a run with a walk. An error brought in another run before Courtney Dellinger forced in the final run of the inning for the 7-1 advantage.
Lexi Baughman was able to work around three hits and two errors in the top of the seventh to secure her first victory of the year. She came on in the top of the fifth and tossed three innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits.
Rosa'Lyn Burton went 2-for-4 with two RBI while Lauren Lopez and Kiersten Comer added two hits each as well.
Up Next:
The Wildcats are back in action on Wednesday as they return to CACC play at Holy Family. The first pitch of the doubleheader starts at 2:00 p.m.
