TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: No. 2 Seed Wildcats Aim for Long Postseason Run as CACC Tournament Begins

TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: No. 2 Seed Wildcats Aim for Long Postseason Run as CACC Tournament Begins

LAKEWOOD, N.J. - - The 2019 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Softball Tournament begins on Thursday at Georgian Court University with Wilmington University earning the No. 2 seed squaring off against No. 7 Nyack at 10:00 a.m. on Field 2.

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, May 4. The CACC Tournament winner earns an automatic bid into the NCAA Division II East Region Tournament.

The Wildcats (34-12, 22-4 CACC) are looking to recapture a strong postseason run, after winning the 2014 and 2016 CACC Championships, but having a streak of four straight NCAA East Regional Tournament appearances snapped last year.

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 http://athletics.wilmu.edu/sports/sball/2018-19/schedule for each specific game live stat and video streaming link. Game updates can also been followed by logging onto Twitter and following @WilmUAthletics.

Scouting the No. 2 Wilmington University Wildcats:

Speed, speed, and more speed. The Wildcats possess two of the fastest women in the CACC as Rosa'Lynn Burton and Kiana Broderson-Jones account for 79 of the team's 116 stolen bases and 110 of the team's 293 runs on the year. As a team, the Wildcats are 116-for-125 on the base paths. Lauren Lopez has been there waiting to knock them in as well, leading the CACC with 57 RBI on the year.

The Wildcats rank atop the CACC for the entire season with a .329 batting average, the lowest ERA at 2.20, and the best fielding percentage at .964.

Rosa'Lynn Burton leads the CACC with a .524 batting average and 53 stolen bases on the year, while also leading the league with 77 hits and tying for the league lead with teammate Kiana Broderson-Jones with 55 runs scored.

Caitlyn Whiteside and Makayla McCarthy have been excellent in the circle as well, with Whiteside leading the CACC with 17 wins and McCarthy in second with 16. McCarthy is fourth in the CACC with a 1.89 ERA while Whiteside is fifth overall at 2.28. McCarthy ranks fourth with 120 strikeouts as well while Whiteside leads the league with 178.1 innings and 20 complete games.

All-Time Series with Nyack:

Thursday will be the 31st meeting between the two programs since the Wildcats joined the NCAA ranks for the 2005 season, but the first ever meeting in the postseason. The Wildcats swept the Warriors, 5-0 and 12-4, earlier this year at Asbury Field.

In the last 10 meetings between the two programs, the Wildcats are 9-1 against the Warriors, only losing game two of the 2018 doubleheader, 5-4. The Warriors also won game two in the 2006 doubleheader and game one in the 2012 doubleheader in the all-time series.

Overall, the Wildcats lead the all-time series, 27-3.

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
2016 (4-0): #3 Wilmington def. #6 Concordia, 1-0; #3 Wilmington def. #7 Bloomfield, 10-5; #3 Wilmington def. #4 Holy Family, 9-2; #3 Wilmington def. #4 Holy Family, 1-0
2017 (0-2): #5 Goldey-Beacom def. #4 Wilmington, 2-0; #8 Post def. #4 Wilmington, 9-1 (6 inn.)
2018 (2-2): #7 Holy Family def. #2 Wilmington, 7-6 (8 inn.); #2 Wilmington def. #6 Felician, 6-5; #2 Wilmington def. #5 Post, 7-2; #4 Dominican def. #2 Wilmington, 7-6.

Overall: 19-20

Season Series and All-Time vs. CACC Tournament Participants:

#1 Georgian Court University Lions: 2019 – vs. W 3-2 (9)/L 9-1 (5); All-Time – 19-13; CACC Tournament – 1-1
#2 Wilmington University Wildcats
#3 Caldwell University Cougars: 2019 – at W 17-11 /W 2-1 (9); All-Time – 10-31; CACC Tournament – 1-7
#4 Dominican College Chargers: 2019 – vs. L 9-7/W 10-1 (6); All-Time – 13-23; CACC Tournament – 1-3
#5 Post University Eagles: 2019 – at L 5-2/W 12-3 (5); All-Time – 20-15; CACC Tournament – 2-2
#6 Chestnut Hill College Griffins: 2019 – vs. W 11-3 (5)/W 8-0 (5); All-Time – 27-1; CACC Tournament – 0-0
#7 Nyack College Warriors: 2019 – at W 5-0/W 12-4 (6); All-Time – 27-3; CACC Tournament – 0-0
#8 Jefferson Rams: 2019 – vs. W 3-2 (8)/W 16-0 (5); All-Time – 20-15; CACC Tournament – 0-1

2019 CACC Softball Tournament Game Schedule:

Thursday, May 2

Game 1 - #1 Georgian Court vs. #8 Jefferson – 10:00 am – SEI Investments Field (Field 1)
Game 2 - #2 Wilmington vs. #7 Nyack – 10:00 am – Field 2
Game 3 - #3 Caldwell vs. #6 Chestnut Hill – Noon – SEI Investments Field (Field 1)
Game 4 - #4 Dominican vs. #5 Post – Noon – Field 2
Game 5 – Game 1 loser vs. Game 4 loser – 2:00 pm – SEI Investments Field (Field 1)
Game 6 – Game 2 loser vs. Game 3 loser – 2:00 pm – Field 2
Game 7 – Game 1 winner vs. Game 4 winner – 4:00 pm – SEI Investments Field (Field 1)
Game 8 – Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner – 4:00 pm – Field 2

Friday, May 3
Game 9 – Game 5 winner vs. Game 8 loser – 11:00 am – SEI Investments Field (Field 1)
Game 10 – Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 loser – 11:00 am – Field 2
Game 11 – Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner – 1:00 pm – SEI Investments Field (Field 1)
Game 12 – Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner – 1:00 pm – Field 2

Saturday, May 4
Game 13 – Game 12 winner vs. Game 11 loser – 10:00 am – Field 2
Game 14 – Game 11 winner vs. Game 13 winner – 12 Noon – SEI Investments Field (Field 1)
Game 15 – "If necessary game" – Game 14 winner vs. Game 14 loser – 2:00 pm - SEI Investments Field (Field 1)