CLERMONT, Fla. - - Starting the second week of its two-week trip to Florida, the Wilmington University softball team had a game stolen from them but came back to win the night-cap in Day 9 action at the National Training Center in Florida on Sunday.
Saint Joseph's College (Ind.) stole game one on Sunday, scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh to win 3-2, but Wilmington (4-9) used a complete game shutout by Katie Warrington to defeat Assumption College, 1-0, in game two to split the nonconference doubleheader during Spring Break.
The Wildcats held a 2-0 lead for a majority of the game against Saint Joseph's, but the Pumas scored a run in the bottom of the sixth and two more in the final frame to shock Wilmington and come away with the win.
Wilmington got on the board early in game one, starting the game with four consecutive singles to take a 1-0 lead. Shelby Thompson, Jessica Hassman, and Brooke Berger loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the first, and Jillian Stafford knocked Thompson home with the game's first run. Still with the bases loaded, the 'Cats had two runners cut down at the plate in the inning, thwarting any potential crooked numbers they could put up.
After Kristin Garvin tripled and was left stranded at third in the second, the Wildcats added to their lead in the third.
With two outs and Stafford on second after a double, Kinsley Parker smacked another RBI double to make it 2-0.
Freshman pitcher Chelsea Botsch cruised through the first five innings, giving up five hits but, but striking out three Pumas and not allowing a run to score.
The Pumas got on the board in the sixth as the leadoff hitter reached on an error, and then promptly scored as Brittnie Boerema tripled to put the home team on the board.
Saint Joseph's then got their first two runners on the seventh on by singles, and advanced to second and third on a sacrifice bunt. The Pumas' Amy Varner the stepped up and won the game with a bases clearing double.
Stafford batted 3-for-3 with two doubles and a run and an RBI in game one, while Garvin went 2-for-2 with a triple. Botsch was saddled with the loss while pitching all 6.1 innings with four strikeouts.
Game two was the Warrington show, as she threw her second complete game shutout while in Florida. Warrington picked up six strikeouts in the win, but needed her defense just as much to secure the victory. Stafford made 11 putouts at first base while Kayla Carrow earned five assists at second and Berger three assists at third.
The Wildcats were out hit 7-2, but Warrington stranded 10 runners on base to improve to 2-4 on the early part of the season.
The lone run of the game came in the fifth inning, and started with one of Assumption's four fielding errors on the afternoon. Garvin reached and advanced to second on a throwing error to kick start the inning. Assumption starter Chelsea Durso got the next two batters out to seemingly cut short the threat. But after Carrow walked and stole second to put runners on second and third, Berger reached on another error by the shortstop, scoring Garvin from third.
It would be the only run Warrington and the defense needed.
Assumption's greatest threat game in the fifth inning, as the Greyhounds loaded the bases with no outs. But Warrington calmly picked up a strikeout, fielded a ground ball back to the circle and made a play at the plate, and induced an inning ending fly ball to left field to stop the threat.
Warrington then went on to sit the Greyhounds down in order in the sixth and seventh for the win.
Stafford and Christin Headley each went 1-for-3 for the Wildcats in game two.
Wilmington returns to action on Monday in Florida, as they play West Virginia Wesleyan and Southern New Hampshire in a doubleheader format starting at 11 a.m.
