NEW CASTLE, Del. - - A four-run fourth inning in game two allowed the Wilmington University softball to split its Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference and home opener with Bloomfield, falling 7-4 in the opener before coming back to win 5-0 in the nightcap on Saturday afternoon at Asbury Field.
The bats were working on Saturday, as the Wildcats (12-6, 1-1 CACC) collected 12 hits in the opener before nine more in the nightcap. But the Bears (1-6, 1-1 CACC) used a seven-run sixth inning to steal game one, collecting 12 hits of their own for their first victory of the year.
Game One
The opener began with starter Caitlyn Whiteside getting out of a bases loaded, one-out jam in the top of the first. The Wildcats struck first in the opener with a run in the bottom of the second, as Keara McCarthy brought in Lexi Baughman with an RBI single. Baughman set the stage with a one-out double.
Rosa'Lynn Burton set up the third inning with a leadoff bunt single. Now on third with one out, Mirabella Klebart made it 2-0 with an infield single to third. Burton was at it again in the bottom of the fourth inning, this time hitting a two-out double down the left field line to bring in Olivia Carbone for the 3-0 lead.
But Whiteside ran into trouble in the sixth inning as the first five batters reached base. With the bases loaded, a two-run single brought the Bears to within 3-2 before an error brought in the game-tying run. A bases laoded walk brought in the go-ahead run before a sacrifice fly and an error made it 7-3 in a blink of an eye.
The Wildcats fought back to load the bases in the bottom of the sixth with one out, but they could only put one run on the board on a sacrifice fly from Lauren Lopez. One left effort in the bottom of the seventh yielded a lead off single by Klebart, but the Bears picked up the last three outs to end the game.
Burton went 4-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored while Klebart went 2-for-4 with one RBI. Whiteside was saddled with the loss by allowing six runs (four earned) on 10 hits in 5.1 innings pitched.
Game Two
Makayla McCarthy paced the Wildcats in the nightcap in game two, tossing a complete game shutout with eight strikeouts to earn the CACC split. She only gave up three hits and one walk, leaving all six runners on base throughout the game.
The Wildcats got all the runs they would need in the bottom of the second inning, getting two hits and aided by one error in the frame. Annie Davila started the inning with a leadoff single before a hit-by-pitch put runners on first and second. An error on a sacrifice bunt attempt loaded the bases. Two batters later, Rosa'Lynn Burton singled in Baughman for the game's first run.
The home team put the game away in the bottom of the fourth inning with a four run frame. Baughman started the scoring by sneakily stealing home. Now with the bases loaded, Klebart singled inside the third base line to plate two. Two batters later with two outs, Davila singled back up the middle to score Jazmeen Llamas and lead 5-0.
McCarthy got out of a jam in the sixth inning, leaving runners on the corners to keep the Bears off the board. She finished the complete game shutout by leaving a runner on first in the seventh.
Burton, Llamas, Klebart, and Davila all collected two hits in the nightcap and Klebart leading the way with two RBI.
Up Next:
The Wildcats have little time to think about the CACC split, as they return to action on Sunday afternoon with another home doubleheader. They welcome perennial East Region Power Adelphi to Asbury Field for a twinbill starting at 12:00 p.m.
