MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - - The Wilmington University softball team bounced back with a pair of victories on day two of the Snowbird Softball Freeze Out Tournament, taking down Slippery Rock, 5-0, and Kutztown, 5-2, on Saturday in Myrtle Beach.
The top of the order set the stage for the Wildcats (2-2) on Saturday, led by their All-American Rosa'Lynn Burton in the leadoff spot. She went 5-for-7 on the afternoon with three RBI and two runs scored combined in the doubleheader. The top four batters collected five of the team's eight hits against Slippery Rock, and again produced eight of the team's 13 hits against Kutztown.
The Wildcats jumped out early in the opener, getting two runs on the board in the bottom of the first against Slippery Rock. Burton and Kiana Broderson-Jones led off the inning with back-to-back singles before Lauren Lopez hit a sac fly for the game's first run and Makayla McCarthy followed with an RBI double for the quick 2-0 lead.
Wilmington tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third inning, this time doing the damage with two outs and the bases empty. A walk, a base hit, and a walk loaded the bases before Burton brought in two runners with a single and the 4-0 lead. A first and third double steal play resulted in the Wildcats' final run of the game in the fourth inning.
That was more than enough for freshman starter Makayla McCarthy in the circle. She didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning, throwing six scoreless innings with six strikeouts for her first collegiate win. Lexi Baughman came in for the seventh and shut the door for the 5-0 victory.
The nightcap saw the Wildcats down early against Kutztown, as the Golden Bears took a free run in the top of the first on a bases loaded hit by pitch.
The Wildcats didn't strike until the third inning, and they took the lead for good when they did. Alyssa Velasquez started the inning with a single before Burton reached on an error by the left fielder and raced all the way around to third as Velasquez scored. Broderson-Jones singled home Burton for the 2-1 lead and Makayla McCarthy singled her home two batters later to take a 3-1 advantage.
Wilmington added two insurance runs in the fourth inning, again getting a leadoff single to start things off. Velasquez sacrificed Jazmeen Llamas to second and Burton came through again with an RBI single to center. Lopez singled to center two batters later to bring home Broderson-Jones and all of a sudden the Wildcats led 5-1.
Starter Caitlyn Whitside set the Golden Bears down in order in the fifth and didn't allow a leadoff single in the sixth faze her as well. A two-out RBI double in the seventh put the Golden Bears on the board again, but Whiteside picked up a ground out to end the game, 5-2.
Burton led the team with a 3-for-4 performance against Slippery Rock while Broderson-Jones led the team by going 3-for-4 in the nightcap against Kutztown. Burton, Makayla McCarthy, Baughman, and Llamas all had multiple hits against the Golden Bears as well.
The Wildcats will look to carry their momentum into the final day of the Snowbird Softball Freeze Out Tournament on Sunday, as they finish the weekend with games against Lock Haven and East Stroudsburg.