CLERMONT, Fla. - - Big hits off the bats of Christin Headley and Jillian Stafford as well as strong pitching performances from Katie Warrington and Danielle Griffin led to a Wilmington University softball doubleheader sweep, 5-2 and 5-3, over Bemidji State at Hancock Park on day 14 of the Wildcats' Spring Break trip.
Wilmington improved its record to 6-15 with the sweep, snapping a six-game losing streak in the process. Bemidji State dropped to 6-9 overall, making it four straight losses for the Beavers.
Each contest was highlighted by big innings late in the game, with the Wildcats scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth in game one, and broke a 2-2 tie with a three-run seventh in game two to take the doubleheader.
Leading 1-0 after four full innings of game one, the Wildcats fell behind the Beavers as Bemidji State scored two unearned runs to grab a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth. But that is when the Wildcat offense came to life.
Shelby Thompson was the catalyst once again for the Wildcats, leading off the fifth inning with a single. Brooke Berger moved her up 60 feet with a sacrifice, but she would have scored from first anyway as Headley smashed a two-run home run to regain the lead, 3-2.
The 'Cats added two more runs in the inning, as Kinsley and Stafford got on by a single and an error following the home run. Kinsley came across on a Kristin Garvin RBI double while Rachel Painter tallied an RBI groundout to cap the scoring.
Game-one starter, Warrington, had to work out of a two-out, two-on jam in the top of the sixth, but the junior got some help from newly inserted catcher Amanda Crockett. With runners at first and third, Crockett caught Megan Beard off third, as the Wildcats ended the inning with the run-down.
Warrington gave up two singles in the seventh, but got a big unassisted double-play by Headley at shortstop and finished off the game with a strike out to pick up her third win of the year. She gave up two runs (zero earned) on five hits in the complete game, striking out nine batters along the way.
Thompson finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Gavin also added two hits in game one.
The Wildcats waited a little longer to turn on the jets in game-two, using a three run top of the seventh to break a 2-2 tie and take the 5-3 victory and the sweep.
Wilmington took a 2-0 lead after the top of the first inning, but couldn't scratch another run until their final at-bat.
With two-out and the bases empty in the top of the first, Headley worked her way to first with a walk and Parker put two runners on with another single. Stafford hit the first of her two huge doubles in the game, allowing both runners to score.
Game-two starter, Griffin, ran into trouble in to the bottom of the second, but otherwise shut down the Beaver offense.
With two outs, the Beavers scored an unearned run on a groundball to shortstop, and Bemidji State capitalized with a RBI triple in the next at-bat. Griffin worked out of the inning by striking out Summer Monsrud for the final out.
The scored remained locked at 2-2 until the final frame of regulation. With one out, Thompson set the table once again with a single. Two batters later, Headley walked to set up an RBI single from Parker to retake the lead, 3-2. After each runner moved up a base on a passed ball, Stafford smacked another two-run double to expand the lead to 5-2.
Warrington came on for the save in the bottom of the seventh and gave up a two-out run after a double, but the lead never seemed in doubt as she recorded another strikeout to end a contest.
Griffin gave up two runs (zero earned) on four hits in six innings in the circle to move to 2-3 on the year. Warrington picked up her first save of the 2012 campaign.
Thompson, Parker, Stafford and Garvin all collected two hits apiece in the win, while Stafford picked up four of the five RBI's. As a team, the Wildcats outhit the Beavers, 9-6, in game-two.
Wilmington will round out its 15-day, two-week trip to Clermont, Fla. on Saturday, as the Wildcats will face American International College and Mercy College in a doubleheader at the National Training Center starting at 11 a.m.
