Copyright 2016; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. File photo of Kaitlyn Slater against Felician, taken by Joseph Craig.
ORANGEBURG, N.Y. - - The Wilmington University softball team was stymied by the pitching of Dominican as it was swept in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader, 3-0 and 4-2, on Sunday afternoon at the DC Softball Field.
The two losses on Sunday was only the first CACC sweep of the Wildcats (26-18, 20-4 CACC) this season, but an untimely one. Dominican (26-13-1, 18-3 CACC) moved ahead of the Wildcats in the standings heading into the final week of the regular season.
The Chargers came out of the gates hot in each game, scoring two runs in the first inning of each game. The Wildcats had trouble figuring out Dominican starts Desiree Joines and Jenna Maska from then on.
The Wildcats' first hit of the day came in the third inning, a one-out bunt single by Kaitlyn Slater, but she was left on first as the inning ended. Shannon Brantley collected a one out single in the fifth, but she was left as second as the only other base runner for the Wildcats.
Dominican again got on the board quickly in the nightcap, scoring twice in the first inning before adding single runs in the second and third for a fast 4-0 lead.
A couple of Dominican errors put two runners on base for the Wildcats in the second, but Maska picked up a ground ball out to escape the jam.
Cambria Ziemba started the third inning off with a leadoff single and Slater put runners on first and third with one out on a single through the left side. The Wildcats tried to scratch a run off on a first and third play, but Ziemba was caught at the plate. Colby Wyatt would later single in the inning, but the Wildcats left two more runners aboard.
Slater finally broke the ice for the Wildcats in the top of the sixth inning, leading off the frame with a solo shot down the left field line. Wyatt and Danielle Bradley followed with back-to-back singles, but a ground ball, a pop up, and a strikeout left the two runners stranded again.
Ziemba and Rizzotte hit back-to-back singles with one out in the seventh inning, bringing the tying run to the plate with a last ditch effort. Now with runners on second and third, Slater brought a run in on an RBI groundout, but the Chargers buckled down and induced a grounder to second to end the threat and the game.
Slater went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored in the nightcap while Ziemba and Wyatt each went 2-for-4. The Wildcats out hit the Chargers, 10-6, in game two, but left eight runners on base.
The Wildcats jam-packed weekend continues on Monday, as they head to Shippensburg for their final nonconference matchup of the season. The first pitch is set for 2:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon.