MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Wilmington University softball team dropped their final two contests in the Sunshine State to Florida Tech, 10-3 and 5-4 Friday night at Nancy Bottge Field.
Game One:
Down three runs, the Wildcats (0-10) tied the game up in the top of the third, but Florida Tech (13-10) answered right back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring seven runs to break open the game.
The Panthers would get on the scoreboard first, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning with the bases loaded, before adding one more in the bottom of the second inning to take a 3-0 lead.
Jessica Ahearn would get Wilmington started in the top of the third inning with a lead-off walk, but the Panthers would make two quick outs as the top of the lineup was due up. Rosa'Lynn Burton would keep the inning alive with a single to the shortstop, before Kiana Broderson-Jones singled to score the first run of the game. Sara Miller then followed up Broderson-Jones with her own single to center, before two Panther errors scored Burton and Broderson-Jones to tie the game at 3-3.
Florida Tech did not waste time answering to the Wildcats three-run inning, as the Panthers put runners on second and third, before a triple started the five hit, seven run inning, which gave them a commanding 10-3 lead.
Rosa'Lynn Burton went three-for-four with one run scored and one stolen base as Sara Miller had one hit and two RBI. Kiana Broderson-Jones finished with one hit and one RBI, as Kiersten Comer had a double. Savannah Stone and Alyssa Velasquez had one hit. Molly Dill fell to 0-2, going 1.1 innings, allowing four hits and seven runs, as Alexandra Ballester went 4.2 innings, allowing five hits and three runs with two strikeouts.
Game Two:
WilmU started the game two off in the top of the first inning, as Burton led-off with a single to the shortstop, before Broderson-Jones reached on an error. Sophomore Kiersten Comer followed up on another Panthers error, which scored Burton and Broderson-Jones. Alyssa Velasquez would then reach on a fielder's choice to score Comer and give the Wildcats the early 3-0 lead.
Burton would get the top of the third inning off again with another single, before Kiersten Comer got on. Annie Davila then reached on a fielder's choice, which put Burton on third with two outs, before a passed ball scored Burton to give the Wildcats a 4-0 lead.
Florida Tech would score their first run of the game in the bottom of the third, before a lead-off solo homerun started the sixth inning off, making it a 4-2 game. The Panthers then loaded the bases with just one out, but freshman Haley Downin struck out the next batter to give the Wildcats two outs. Downin would walk the next batter, which brought home a run, but a heads-up play by Annie Davila would pick off the runner at third to get the Wildcats out the inning, holding a one-run lead.
WilmU would load the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh looking for some insurance runs, but would strand the runners on, heading into the Panthers final at bats.
With two outs in the bottom half of the seventh, a double down the right field line would tie the game up at 4-4, and put the winning run on third. The next batter then hit a single that was redirected by Downin, which helped the runner beat out the throw and give the Panthers the come from behind win.
Rosa'Lynn Burton went three-for-four with two runs scored, as Alyssa Velasquez had the lone RBI. Isabell Collins had one hit. Haley Downin would go 6.2 innings, allowing 12 hits, and five runs with four strikeouts to fall to 0-5.
Next Up:
The Wildcats will head back north before beginning play again on Wednesday when they travel to Shippensburg for a double header. Game one is set for 2:30 p.m.