Video Recap of Game 1 at Bottom of Page
NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The Wilmington University softball team was able to come back from an early hole in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference opener against Jefferson on Wednesday, but couldn't complete the comeback in game two, splitting with the Rams at Asbury Field.
Jefferson (6-6, 6-6 CACC) scored two in the top of the first in game one and four in the top of the first in game two, but the Wildcats (8-8, 8-4 CACC) were only able to come back in the opener. They won game one, 10-2, in six innings before falling 4-3 in the nightcap.
GAME 1:
A homer in the top of the first put the Rams on top, 2-0, but the Wildcats answered in the bottom of the first. Sara Miller and Courtney Dellinger started the inning with back-to-back singles. Lauren Lopez hit a sacrifice fly for the first run and then Annie Davila cleared the bases with one swing, and gave the Wildcats the lead with a two-run homer to center, 3-2.
A two-out rally produced two runs in the second, as Arianna Millan singled into left with two outs and the bases empty. Sara Miller followed with a double down the left field line, chasing Millan all the way around from first. Courtney Dellinger than singled back up the middle, and an error allowed Miller to score for the 5-2 lead.
The Rams left two runners on in the second and third, but starter Alexandra Ballester settled in and had a 1-2-3 inning in each of the fourth, fifth, and sixth frames. The offense was able to get going again in the sixth.
With one out, Downin started the rally with a single. Isabella Eleazar followed with her own single before Jess Ahearn pinch hit and started the scoring with an RBI single through the left side. Arianna Millan then cleared the bases with a two-run triple into the corner in right field. Sara Miller copied Millan with another triple into right center and Courtney Dellinger ended the game with an RBI bunt single, 10-2.
Miller and Dellinger each batted 3-for-4 while Miller had a double and a triple, two RBI, and three runs scored. Millan went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored as well.
Ballester went the distance, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out four with three walks to improve to 4-3 on the year.
GAME 2:
The Rams again jumped out to an early lead in the nightcap, scoring four in the first. The first run came on a grounder back to the circle with a runner on third, becoming the second out of the inning. But starter Molly Dill couldn't find the third out, as the Rams hit an RBI single, an RBI double, a walk, and an RBI single to left to take a quick 4-0 lead.
Sara Miller walked to start the bottom of the first and eventually scored on a two-out error to put the Wildcats on the board.
Millan started a two-out rally in the second with a single, and two batters later Sara Miller brought her in to cut the deficit in half, 4-2.
The offense was quiet until the sixth, when Annie Davila started the inning off with a single. Now with runners on first and third, Kiersten Comer hit a sacrifice fly to score Davila from third, 4-3, but the Wildcats left runners on first and second to end the inning and remain behind.
The Wildcats then went down in order in the seventh, dropping the nightcap, 4-3.
Davila batted 2-for-2 while Millan hit 2-for-3 with a run scored. Haley Downin pitched the final five innings, striking out three while only allowing one hit and one walk.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats will travel to Post on Saturday for another CACC doubleheader. The first pitch in Waterbury, Connecticut is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
VIDEO RECAP: