ORANGEBURG, N.Y. - - The Wilmington University softball team split a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader at Nyack, 5-9 and 10-4, on Saturday afternoon at Orangeburg Little League, ending the regular season in fourth place in the conference standings heading into the CACC Tournament next week.
With the game two win, the Wildcats (26-23, 18-8 CACC) won the most conference games during the regular season in program history, since becoming a member of the NCAA Division II for the 2005 season. Nyack (4-26, 3-21 CACC) used a complete game eight hitter by Kia Jelley for the game one win.
The Wildcats committed six errors in game one, allowing the Warriors to come back from a 5-2 deficit with four runs in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the six to complete the come from behind victory.
Wilmington scored two runs each in the second and fourth innings. With two outs and two runners following a Amanda Crockett single and a Jess Hassman double, Meghan Logullo knocked in the first run of the second with an RBI groundout. Shelby Thompson singled to third base for an infield single, beating out the play for the RBI.
Crockett started the fourth by reaching on an error and with two outs, Thompson singled into left to score Crockett with the unearned run. Brooke Berger followed with single to right for the Wildcats, scoring Hassman from third for the 5-2 lead.
Starting pitcher Jillian Stafford got the first two Warriors out in the bottom of the fourth, but Nyack responded with four hits in the inning and was aided by two Wilmington errors to scored four unearned runs and take a 6-5 lead after four complete. The Warriors would not relinquish the lead and took the opening game.
Thompson, Berger and Hassman each collected two hits for the Wildcats in game one but Stafford was saddled with the loss while throwing four innings and giving up seven runs (two earned) on eight hits. She recorded four strikeouts before handing the ball over to Danielle Griffin.
The Wildcats responded in game two and retaliated on the offensive side of the ball, tallying 18 hits and scoring seven runs in the final two innings to win going away, 10-4.
Leading 3-2 after five innings, the Wildcats opened the sixth with four runs before adding three in the top of the seventh.
Rachel Painter started the sixth with a single into right field and promptly came around to score in the next at-bat as Kristin Garvin launched a two run home run to center. Crockett followed with another single up the middle and Berger singled two batters later to put two runners on with one out. Now with two outs, Stafford laced a single to right field, scoring Crockett. Hassman knocked in the final run of the inning with another single back up the box, scoring Berger for the 7-2 lead.
The Wildcats put their first two batters on in the top of the seventh as Kinsley Parker singled to lead off the inning and Painter reached on an error. Crockett loaded the bases with one, allowing Thompson to pick up an RBI with a single through the left side. Still with the bases loaded, Berger singled to left field, scoring Painter from third. Now with two outs, Thompson came home to score the inning's third run as Stafford reached on a fielding error by the second baseman, giving the visitors the 10-3 lead.
Griffin tossed a complete game, striking out six batters while allowing four runs on 12 hits. She did not allow a walk in game two to improve to 6-5 overall.
Crockett led the Wildcats with three hits in game two, while every hitter in the starting lineup finished with at least one hit. Thompson, Berger, Christin Headley, Stafford, Hassman, Painter and Garvin all added two hits apiece in the game while Parker's single rounded out the 18 team hits.
Georgian Court won both of its games on Saturday, swiping the third seed from the Wildcats as the two teams came into the day's action deadlocked in the standings. Dominican and Caldwell will receive the conference's first round bye after finishing in first and second, respectively, in the standings. The Wildcats will have at least one home game, being the number four seed and will play the seventh seed, which has yet to be decided.
The CACC Tournament is hosted by Georgian Court and will start on Thursday, April 26. It is a double-elimination tournament with the Tournament Champion receiving the CACC automatic berth in the NCAA Division II Regionals. The CACC Tournament will conclude and a champion crowned on Saturday, April 28. Georgian Court is the two-time defending CACC Tournament Champion.
