TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: No. 3 Wildcats to Host First CACC Tournament Game as Single Elimination Tournament Begins

TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: No. 3 Wildcats to Host First CACC Tournament Game as Single Elimination Tournament Begins

NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The stage is set for the 2021 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Softball Quarterfinal which begin on Friday, May 8, and the No. 3 seed Wilmington will welcome No. 6 Caldwell to Asbury Field for a postseason contest.

The 2021 CACC Tournament is a single elimination style tournament with each game being hosted by the higher seed. The first pitch on Friday is set for 2:00 p.m.

Wilmington University Rules and Policies for spectators:

  • Two spectators per student-athlete
  • Grandstands are off limits. Spectators must watch the game from outside the fence down the third base line, away from team areas
  • Masks and social distancing are required.

Ways to Follow:

Caldwell defeated No. 11 Holy Family, 5-1, in the First Round on Thursday to advance to Friday's quarterfinal matchup. The top three seeds, including the Wildcats, had a bye in the First Round.

The Wildcats are led by First Team All-CACC performer Haley Downin who leads the team with a .384 batting average and second on the team with 10 stolen bases. Fellow First Team All-CACC performer Annie Davila leads the CACC with 10 homers and is fifth with 29 RBI. The Wildcats also have Lauren Lopez who is batting .356 with eight doubles and 28 RBI on the year, and First Team All-CACC shortstop Alyssa Velasquez who is hitting .348 on the year with 22 RBI.

In the circle, the Wildcats could go to any four of their pitchers, as they all have over 29 innings pitched on the year. Molly Dill has a team low 3.39 ERA while Alexandra Ballester is 7-6 with 53 strikeouts in a team high 79.1 innings. Downin has a team high 5.11 strikeout per nine innings with a 3.97 ERA and a 6-2 record. Renamarie Rocha has appeared in 1 games and has a team low seven walks.

As a team, the Wildcats are eighth in the CACC with a .302 batting average, fourth with 17 homers and 51 stolen bases. In the circle they are ranked seventh in the CACC with a 4.17 team ERA, but second in the league with seven shutouts.

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.
2019 (5-1): #2 Wilmington def. #7 Nyack, 8-0 (6 inn.); #2 Wilmington def. #3 Caldwell, 9-2; #1 Georgian Court def. #2 Wilmington, 4-2; #2 Wilmington def. #8 Jefferson, 3-0; #2 Wilmington def. #1 Georgian Court, 4-2; #2 Wilmington def. #1 Georgian Court, 5-4 (9 inn.)

Overall: 24-21

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

#1 Georgian Court University Lions: 2021 – vs. L 13-1 (5)/L 11-2 (5); All-Time – 21-16; CACC Tournament – 3-2
#2 Dominican College Chargers: 2021 – vs. L 6-1/W 11-3 (5); All-Time – 14-24; CACC Tournament – 1-3
#3 Wilmington University Wildcats
#4 Jefferson Rams: eliminated
#5 Post University Eagles: 2021 – at W 2-0/W 9-0 (5); All-Time – 22-15; CACC Tournament – 2-2
#6 Caldwell University Cougars: 2021 – vs. W 4-2/L 6-4; All-Time – 12-32; CACC Tournament – 2-7
#7 Bloomfield College Bears: eliminated
#8 University of the Sciences Devils:
#9 Concordia College Clippers: eliminated
#10 Nyack College Warriors: eliminated
#11 Holy Family University Tigers: eliminated
#12 Goldey-Beacom College Lightning: eliminated
#13 Chestnut Hill College Griffins: 2021 – W 6-1/L 8-5 (8 inn.); All-Time – 28-2; CACC Tournament – 0-0

2021 CACC Softball Tournament Game Schedule:

First Round (Wednesday, May 5th, at Higher Seeds)
#1 Georgian Court, #2 Dominican, & #3 Wilmington – BYES
#13 Chestnut Hill def. #4 Jefferson – 9-5
#5 Post def. #12 Goldey-Beacom – 9-1 (5 inn.)
#6 Caldwell def. #11 Holy Family – 5-1
#7 Bloomfield def. #10 Nyack – 4-3
#8 Sciences def. #9 Concordia – 4-3

Quarterfinals (Friday, May 7th, at Higher Seeds)
#8 Sciences at #1 Georgian Court (3:30pm)
#13 Chestnut Hill vs. #5 Post (2:00pm)
#10 Nyack at #2 Dominican (2:00pm – South Orangetown Little League Complex)
#6 Caldwell at #3 Wilmington (2:00pm) 

Semifinals (Monday, May 10th, at Higher Seeds)
#1/#8/#9 Winner vs. #4/#5/#12/#13 Winner (TBA)
#2/#7/#10 Winner vs. #3/#6/#11 Winner (TBA) 

Championship Final (Wednesday, May 12th, at Higher Seed)
Semifinal Winner vs. Semifinal Winner (TBA)