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LYNDHURST, N.J. - - It was a record setting day on the diamond for the Wilmington University softball team, but a pair of late came comebacks only resulted in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference split at Felician on Saturday, winning game one, 11-5, before falling, 10-9, in eight innings in the nightcap.
Junior third baseman Lauren Lopez broke the program's all-time RBI mark on Saturday, surpassing Colby Wyatt who collected 112 RBI from 2014-17. Lopez' six RBI on Saturday give her 116 for her career.
GAME 1:
It was a late game comeback that gave the Wildcats the game one victory, as they scored two in the bottom of the sixth and seven in the top of the seventh. Felician (3-11, 3-5 CACC) took a 5-4 lead with a run in the bottom of the seventh, but the Wildcats' offense came alive to collect seven runs on nine hits.
The offense was all Annie Davila in the early going, as smacked solo homers in the top of the second and top of the fourth innings to bring the Wildcats to within 4-2 after four innings.
Pinch hitter Savanah Stone came through with a single back up the middle to plate the tying run in Lauren Lopez, and an error in center on the play allowed Davila to trot home to tie the game, 4-4.
Felician was able to score in the bottom of the seventh to regain the lead, but it didn't last long as the Wildcats came back up in top of the seventh.
Kiersten Comer singled to start the rally and then Sara Miller launched her first career homer to center to put the Wildcats up for good. Courtney Dellinger, Alyssa Velasquez, and Lauren Lopez all followed with singles to load the bases. Annie Davila had an RBI groundout before Isabella Eleazar smacked a two-run double to the gap in right center. Jess Aheard followed with another RBI double to left, and Comer finished the scoring with her second hit of the inning, picking up an RBI as well.
Reliever Alexandra Ballester closed off the win in the bottom of the seventh.
Miller, Dellinger, Lopez, Davila, Ahearn, and Comer all finished with two hits apiece. Ballester earned the win in five innings of relief.
GAME 2:
The late came comeback forced extra innings in the nightcap, but the Wildcats weren't able to get the job done, resulting in the CACC split.
The Wildcats jumped out fast in game two, as Lopez immediately tied the career RBI mark with a two-run single in the top of the first. Courtney Dellinger doubled in Miller in the top of the second, giving the Wildcats a 3-0 lead.
But Felician fought back with a five-run bottom of the second, getting a three-run homer from Mia Martinez. They added two more in the bottom of the third, and a single run in the fourth to take an 8-3 lead.
Lopez' record breaking feat came in dramatic fashion in the top of the fifth, hitting a two-run blast to left to cut the deficit to 8-5.
Down 9-6 in the top of the seventh with two outs and the bases empty, Dellinger kept hopes alive with a single. Alyssa Velasquez followed with a double to left center and then Lauren Lopez looped one into right for a two-run single. On the next pitch, Annie Davila tied the game with her third homer of the day to right center, 9-9.
After a quiet top of the eighth, Felician put the first two runners on with walks. With one out and the bases loaded, Felician 's Daisha Howard was able to find a gap on the left side where the only play Velasquez had was to third, but the game-winning run came in for the walk-off win.
Lopez went 3-for-3 with six RBI while Miller, Dellinger, and Velasquez all added two hits each.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats are set to play Caldwell in another CACC doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon. The first pitch from Asbury Field is set for 2:30 p.m.
