Press Release Written by Sports Information Graduate Intern MaryKate Rumbaugh
CLERMONT, Flo. – The Wilmington University softball team got two much needed wins on Wednesday afternoon after taking games from Edinboro, 1-0, and Mercy, 10-0 (5 innings), at Legends Way Field in Clermont, Florida.
Game One:
It was a quiet game against PSAC contender Edinboro, but the Wildcats (3-4) found themselves with the lone run of the game from Olivia Carbone on a based loaded walk to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning.
Wilmington started off the first three innings with at least one hit, but could not advance the runner on second to keep it a scoreless game. Finally, in the top of the fourth, sophomore Lauren Lopez started the inning for the Wildcats with a double down the right field line, giving Olivia Carbone a chance to pinch run. Angela Antonini watched four balls go bye to put two on, before Lexi Baughman reached on a throwing error from the shortstop to load the bases. Rosa'Lynn Burton stepped up to the plate for the Wildcats and reached a 3-2 count, before being walked to force in Carbone.
Pitcher Makayla McCarthy wouldn't allow a hit until the bottom of the fourth on a single to center field. Edinboro would threaten in the bottom of the fifth, but Makayla McCarthy was able to get a strikeout for the second out, before Angela Antonini threw down to second to catch a Fighting Scott trying to steal to end the inning.
The Wildcats finished with five hits, including three from Rosa'Lynn Burton and two from Lauren Lopez. Makayla McCarthy went all seven innings, allowing only two hits and striking out six.
Game Two:
The bats finally came alive in Florida, as the Wildcats had nine hits, including three triples from Alyssa Velasquez, Angela Antonini, and Annie Davila to defeat Mercy, 10-0, in just five innings.
Wilmington would get their first run of the game in the bottom of the second as Davila hit the first triple of the game giving Olivia Carbone a chance at the plate. She reached on a fielder's choice and score pinch runner, Courtney Dellinger. The big inning for the Wildcats came in the bottom of the third, when Alyssa Velasquez tripled to right field to score Lauren Lopez. Angela Antonini then singled to right center, before Lexi Baughman saw four pitches to put two on. Annie Davila stepped up again for the Wildcats as she then singled up the middle to score Antonini and then put herself and Baughman in scoring position on a throw to the plate.
With the Wildcats up 5-0, Kiana Broderson-Jones got into the mix as she singled up the middle, before Alexis Sann reached on a throwing error by the second baseman to advance the runners and score Davila. Broderson-Jones would give the Wildcats their sixth run of the inning after smart base running, as Sanns was picked off of first base to end the inning.
Staying hot, Angela Antonini gave WilmU their third triple of the game on a ball sent to left field to score Velasquez and Burton. Annie Davila wasn't done, as she hit a single down the left field line for an RBI and give the Wildcats a 10-0 lead heading into the fifth.
Davila and Antonini led the Wildcats as Davila had three hits, and two RBIs and Antonini had two hits and three RBIs. Alyssa Velasquez had two hits and one RBI for the Wildcats as Burton, Lopez, and Broderson-Jones all had one hit. Caitlyn Whiteside dealt for the Wildcats, going 5.0 innings, allowing four hits, and no walks.
Next Up:
The Wildcats take on Stonehill at 1:45 p.m. and Wheeling Jesuit at 4 p.m. tomorrow in Kissimmee, Florida at Osceola Softball Complex.
