NEW CASTLE, Del. - - A pair of extra-inning walk-offs led the Wilmington University softball team to a sweep of West Chester, 6-5 and 7-6, both in eight innings at Asbury Field on Tuesday afternoon.
Emma Zimmerman walked it off for the Wildcats (9-9) in the first game with an RBI single and then Taylor Gillis chopped one to first and Zimmerman beat the throw to the plate to end the nightcap, 7-6.
GAME 1:
West Chester (12-12) stormed back in the opener with three runs in the top of the seventh and then took a 5-4 lead with a run in the top of the eighth before the Wildcats fired back.
An error allowed the Wildcats to score in the bottom of the second and then another error made it 2-0 in the third. Lexi Moore hit a one out single back up the middle to score Tristyn Stewart and the Wildcats were leading 3-0 after five innings.
West Chester got on the board in the top of the sixth with a single run, but the Wildcats answered right back in the home half. Gabbie Saucedo doubles to start the inning and then Kiersten Comer singled into right to score Saucedo, giving the Wildcats a 4-1 lead.
Just needing three outs, the Wildcats ran into trouble in the top of the seventh. The Golden Rams doubled to start the inning and then a one-out homer closed the game to within 4-3. The Golden Rams then hit back-to-back singles to restart the inning and tied the game with a third straight single, 4-4.
With the international tiebreaker in effect, the Golden Rams got a run in the eighth to take the lead, 5-4. With the Wildcats now batting, Gabbie Saucedo singled into center to score Sara Miller from second to tie the game, 5-5. Tristyn Stewart put runners on first and third with one and Emma Zimmerman ended the game with a single to left center, scoring Saucedo for the 6-5 win.
Kylee Gunkel went the first 6.1 innings, striking out five while allowing four runs in the no decision. Molly Gill got the final two out of the seventh and pitched the eighth for the win, striking out two.
GAME 2:
It was the Wildcats that needed to make a comeback in the nightcap, as they scored three in the bottom of the fifth to grab a 6-5 lead. But the Golden Rams answered right back with a run in the sixth before heading to extra innings.
West Chester struck first with two runs in the top of the first, but Haley Downin cut the deficit in half with an RBI single in the bottom of the first.
A walk, a triple, and a sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth gave the Rams a 4-1 lead but Arianna Millan singled that scored two to bring the Wildcats back to within 4-3 in the home half.
After West Chester scored a run in the top of fifth, a pair of errors led to three runs for the Wildcats as they took a 6-5 lead. But the lead wouldn't hold, as West Chester hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth to tie it once more, 6-6.
Haley Downin worked out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the seventh, but the Wildcats couldn't counter in the bottom half, sending the game to extra innings again.
Singles by Adriana Bueno and Sara Miller singled to load the bases with only one out. Taylor Gillis chopped one to first and Emma Zimmerman was able to beat the throw home, ending the game, 7-6.
Renamarie Rocha went the first 4.1 innings, striking out five while allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits. Downin earned the win by throwing the final 3.2 innings, allowing one run on three hits.
Taylor Gillis, Haley Downin, Gabbie Saucedo, and Adriana Bueno finished with two hits each in game two.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats battle another PSAC opponent on Wednesday, as they travel to Shippensburg in a nonconference doubleheader. The first pitch of game one is set for 2:30 p.m.