LAKEWOOD, N.J. - - For the first time in program history, the Wilmington University softball team will play for a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship, defeating third seeded Post University, 6-0, in the winner's bracket game on Saturday afternoon at Georgian Court University.
The win propels the Wildcats (27-24 overall) to the championship on Sunday at 11 a.m., where they will square off against second seeded and host Georgian Court. The Lions won three elimination games on Saturday, defeating Post in the bottom of the seventh to advance to the championship on Sunday.
The fifth seeded Wildcats were the visitors once again, squaring off against a higher seed for the third time this tournament. That benefitted the Wildcats once again as they jumped out to a lead in the early going, this time in the top of second inning to hold the momentum.
Using a pair of hits and three runs, the Wildcats put four on the board in the top of the second inning, all coming from one swing of the bat.
With one out, Miranda Pedersen singled into left field and advanced to second as the throw back into the infield got away. Michelle Panasiti put runners on first and third by reaching on another Post (24-21) error before a Becca Stanley walk loaded the bases.
Kelsey Doherty quickly erased the 0-0 score as she took the first pitch she saw and deposited it over the fence in straight away center for the grand slam, giving the Wildcats a 4-0 lead and the momentum in the game.
Post had its opportunities to get on the board in the game, but left the bases loaded in the third, one runner on in the fourth, and two more in the bottom of the fifth.
The Wildcats added to their lead in the top of the fourth inning as the long ball aided the visitors once again. Panasiti led off the inning with a solo shot down the line in left, with the only doubt if t was going to stay fair. The ball stayed in play, giving Panasiti her fourth homer of the year.
Panasiti was at it again in the top of the sixth, as she went to the same spot of the field, this time doubling into the corner in left, chasing pinch runner Shannon McMahon from first to make it 6-0 for the Wildcats.
From there, it was all starter Stephanie Sarris as she shut down the Eagles in order in both the sixth and seventh innings to earn her third complete game win in a row in the CACC Tournament. The complete game shutout was the fourth of the year for the senior.
Doherty, Pedersen, and Panasiti collected two hits each for the Wildcats while Zambria Ziemba and Jen Fischbach added one hit each to round out the offense for the Wildcats.
Sarris struck out four more batters while only allowing five hits, tallying 16 strikeouts and three wins in the CACC Tournament.
The Lions defeated Holy Family in 10 innings to start the day before defeating Dominican in another elimination game. The Lions then took on Post in the CACC Tournament Semifinal, and needed a run in the bottom of the seventh to earn the victory after the Eagles tied the game with two runs in the top half.
The run continues on Sunday, as the Wildcats and the Lions will battle for the CACC Tournament. Video broadcast of the game can be seen here.
