PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - - A 21-hit parade in game two allowed the Wilmington University softball team to split a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader at Philadelphia, 1-2 and 14-1, on Thursday afternoon at the Philadelphia Softball Field.
The team that scored first lost each contest, as the Wildcats (9-13, 3-1 CACC) scored first in game one with a single run in the top of the fourth inning. Philadelphia (14-2, 5-1 CACC) came back with a pair of runs in the bottom half before going on to win the opener.
The Rams scored a lone run in the bottom of the third inning in the nightcap before the Wildcats tallied all 14 runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings before the mercy rule came into play and the game was called after the end of the sixth.
Senior Stephanie Sarris tossed a complete game with seven strikeouts in the opener, but only received five hits on the offensive side, and a lone run coming in the top of the fourth.
Kelsey Doherty led off the inning with a single before Ashley Bennett brought pinch runner Becca Stanley around to score from second with an RBI single to right center.
The Rams quickly retaliated with a pair of runs n the home half of the fourth as a two-out, two-run single gave the home team the lead for good.
The nightcap was the complete opposite for the Wildcats, as they smashed 21 hits, including five doubles and a home run. All the Wilmington scoring happened after the Rams got on the board first in the bottom of the third.
Back-to-back doubles from Miranda Pedersen and Michelle Panasiti to lead off the top of the fourth tied the game for the Wildcats. Bennett followed with a two-run shot to left center, giving the visitors a 4-1 lead with no outs in the inning. An unearned run following a line out by Doherty gave the Wildcats their fifth and final run of the inning.
After starter Colby Wyatt sat the Rams down in order in the bottom of the fourth, the Wildcats were at it again, tacking on two more runs in the top of the fifth.
Three straight singles gave the Wildcats their first run, as Bennett added to her RBI total with a run scoring single. A bases loaded single by Meghan Logullo brought in Katrina Swank with two outs, giving the Wildcats a 7-1 lead after their half of the fifth inning.
Another fast inning for Wyatt brought the Wildcat bats back up to the plate in the sixth, as they struck early and often in the inning, putting seven more runs on the board. Pedersen led off the inning with another double before eventually scoring on another Bennett single. Brooke Lachetter knocked in Jen Fischbach on an RBI groundout before Cambria Ziemba doubled in a run to left center. Logullo added to the runs with another RBI single before Stanley doubled to left center to plate two more. Now batting around, Pedersen made it 2-for-2 in the inning, hitting an RBI single to right center for the final run for the Wildcats.
Wyatt went five innings while striking out four batters, allowing two hits and an unearned run. Lachette came on in the sixth inning and tossed a perfect inning with a strikeout to close out the contest.
Logullo and Fischbach led the Wildcat attack by each going 4-for-4 in game two while Pedersen and Bennett collected three hits each. Bennett led all batters with four RBI. Doherty collected three of the teams' five hits in the opening game.
The Wildcats' CACC doubleheader on Saturday scheduled against Post has been postponed due to the incoming weather system. The Post doubleheader will now be played on April 22, which moves the home games against Mansfield to April 23.
The Wildcats are scheduled to makeup a doubleheader at Chestnut Hill on Sunday, starting at 10:30 a.m.