NEW CASTLE, Del. - - Late game dramatics allowed the Wilmington University softball team come back and sweep a doubleheader from Felician in both team's Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference opening games on Saturday afternoon at Asbury Field.
The Wildcats (5-11, 2-0 CACC) scored two runs in the bottom of the first in game one to come back and earn the 7-6 victory before a three run bottom of the sixth gave the team a 4-2 victory in the nightcap.
Playing in their first games at Asbury Field in 2014, the Wildcats jumped out to a 3-0 lead over Felician (4-9, 0-2 CACC) after the first two innings before the Golden Falcons fought back to take a 5-4 lead after the top of the sixth inning.
Now trailing, the Wildcats retaliated with a run of its own in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game. Miranda Pedersen and Michelle Panasiti walked with one out to the tying run in scoring position. Jen Fischbach lined a ball down the left field line, skimming off the left fielders' glove to allow Pedersen to tie the game at 5-5.
Felician came back in the top of the seventh to once again take the lead, as a pair of walks and a single through the left side scored the go-ahead run.
The Wildcats were able to keep the deficit to one run after the top of the seventh and responded with a rally of their own in the bottom half. Cambria Ziemba started the seventh inning off with a walk, before beating the throw at second base after a sacrifice bunt from Shannon McMahon. Now with the bases loaded and one out, Pedersen was hit by a pitch to force in the tying run before Kelsey Doherty scored the game winning run on a wild pitch.
Doherty and Panasiti led the Wildcats with two hits apiece in the first game, with Panasiti hitting two doubles and knocking in two runs. Doherty scored three of the seven runs in the first game.
Jen Fischabach relieved starter Chelsea Botsch with one out in the sixth inning, tossing the final 1.2 innings while only allowing one run on one hit, picking the win to improve to 2-2 on the year.
The night cap was knotted at 1-1 heading into the fifth inning before a two-out wild pitch allowed the Golden Falcons to score the go-ahead run and take a 2-1 lead.
The Wildcats received a leadoff double from Meghan Logullo in the bottom of the fifth inning, but the senior was left stranded at third base as the fifth inning came to a close.
Reliever Colby Wyatt worked around a two-out fielding error in the top of the sixth inning to keep the game at 2-1. The Wildcats used the momentum to take the lead in the bottom of the inning.
Katrina Swank started the rally by reaching first after being hit by a pitch with one out. Ziemba worked a work to put runners on first and second before the Golden Falcons recorded the second out of the inning on a strikeout. Doherty stepped in and hit a 2-1 pitch to right for a single, scoring Swank with the tying run without a throw.
Now with runners on second and third, Logullo hit a sharp ground ball up the middle which was stopped on a diving play by the shortstop. Logullo reached first with the single, while Ziemba scored the go-ahead run and Doherty never stopped as she rounded third and headed for home. Doherty slid past the tag of the catcher, touching home with her hand to give the Wildcats a late 4-2 lead.
Wyatt stepped back onto the rubber in the bottom of the seventh and shut down the Golden Falcons on three ground balls, picking up her first collegiate victory.
Logullo batted 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI for the Wildcats, while Doherty, Fischbach, Swank, and Ziemba rounded out the team's six hits with one each. Wyatt pitched the final 2.1 innings for the Wildcats, not allowing a hit while facing eight batters.
The Wildcats take to the road for their next three doubleheaders, staying in the CACC for their next contest on Wednesday. The team heads to Chestnut Hill for a pair of games starting at 2:30 p.m.
