NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The hits and runs continued to pile sky high for the Wilmington University softball team as they swept East Stroudsburg, 15-7 (6 inn.) and 15-1 (5 inn.), in a nonconference doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at Asbury Field.
The Wildcats (26-15) belted out 38 hits in the doubleheader, scoring in all but one inning played on Wednesday. East Stroudsburg (12-21) held a lead after the top of the first in each game, but the Wildcats came back with a vengeance in each contest.
The opener featured six home runs and nine extra base hits, with three homers coming form three different Wildcats. Trailing 1-0 before getting an at-bat the Wildcats used two swings of the bat to put seven runs on the board in the bottom of the second. Becca Stanley hit a three-run dinger to right center before Kaitlyn Slater deposited a pitch over the center field wall with the bases loaded for a grand slam.
The Warriors answered with a pair of homers in the top of the third to cut the deficit to 7-5, but the Wildcats distanced themselves with two more runs in the bottom of the third. Another ESU homer brought the visitors to 9-7, but Colby Wyatt answered the call once more with a three-run bomb in the bottom of the fourth.
Wyatt's three-run shot catapulted her into the program's all-time lead with 99 career RBI. She added her 100th career RBI in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly, the only Wildcat in program history with 100 career runs batted in.
Mirabella Klebart gave the Wildcats a 14-7 lead with an RBI single in the fifth. Slater than brought the mercy-rule into effect in the sixth with a walk-off RBI single to right center, 15-7.
Brooklyn Lachette was awarded the win after coming on in relief in the third and pitching 1.1 innings. Danielle Bradley came on in the fourth inning and didn't allow a run in the final 2.1 innings.
The Warriors again came out in the top of the first inning in the nightcap and put the first run on the board, hitting a solo shot to center.
But the Wildcats' bats never cooled from the opener, as they picked up 18 hits in only four innings in game two. Alyssa Velasquez started the scoring with an RBI groundout and put three more on the board with two outs. Wyatt brought in two with an infield single before Klebart added two more with a single to center.
Slater (at left) added to her RBI total with a two-run single through the right side in the second, putting the Wildcats ahead 6-1. Stanley and Katie Edgar hit RBI singles in the third inning before the Wildcats put it away with another seven-run inning in the fourth.
Brown scored Slater to start the fourth inning rally, and now with two outs, Rosa'Lynn Burton knocked in two more with a single to center. Stanley trotted home on a wild pitch before Velasquez brought in another run with an infield single. Slater ended the onslaught with a two-run double to left center.
Bradley only allowed the first inning run in improving to 9-5 in the circle on the season. She struck out five only giving up five hits and a walk.
Burton went 7-for-9 with four runs and three RBI in the sweep while Slater went a combined 5-for-8 with a nine RBI and three runs scored. Wyatt finished with five RBI on the afternoon.
The Wildcats will look to carry their hot sticks into Thursday as they return to Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action at Asbury Field. They will host Chestnut Hill in a doubleheader starting at 2:30 p.m.