NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The season came to a close for the Wilmington University softball team on Monday in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Semifinal, falling 8-1 to No. 7 Bloomfield at Asbury Field.
The loss brings the Wildcats' overall record to 19-15 for the 2021 season. The Bears (12-18-1) advance to play No. 1 Georgian Court in the CACC Tournament Championship on Wednesday in Lakewood, N.J.
Early mistakes loomed large for the Wildcats on Monday, as the Bears scored six unearned runs in the first two innings to take the air out of the Wildcats' sails. The Wildcats also only collected five hits in the game, but had multiple chances throughout the contest, leaving 12 runners on base.
An error started the game and the Bears had a runner on third base with only one out. A fielder's choice and a hit batter loaded the bases before another error scored the first two runs of the game. An infield single brought home another run before a grounder to second scored retired the second out of the inning but put the Bears up, 4-0.
A third error of the game scored the Bears' fifth run of the game before an RBI single had the visitors up 6-0 before the Wildcats came up to the plate for the second time.
The Wildcats put two on base in the third with a pair of push bunts to the right side, but a fielder's choice and a pop up to third ended the inning without moving the runners off first and second.
Haley Downin hit a two-out double to right center in the fifth to put runners on second and third, but Lauren Lopez flied out to center to end the threat without scoring a run.
Three doubles and a single produced two more runs in the top of the sixth for the Bears, and the Wildcats found themselves needing to score a run in the bottom of the sixth to stay alive.
Annie Davila walked and Alyssa Velasquez singled to put the first two batters of the inning aboard. Now with the bases loaded, Arianna Millan walked to force in a run, but a strike out and a foul out ended the threat with the bases loaded and only the one run in.
The Wildcats again loaded the bases in the seventh with only one out, but an infield fly and a strikeout ended any chance of a wild comeback, as the Wildcats left three more runners on to end the game, 8-1.
Sara Miller, Haley Downin, Lauren Lopez, and Alyssa Velasquez all had hits for the Wildcats in the loss. Molly Dill was saddled with the loos after giving up four unearned runs in the game.
The loss ends the careers of Annie Davila and Alyssa Velasquez. Both are in the records books as Davila is the all-time leader with 22 homers and her 10 this year are also a single season record. Velasquez has the most games started in her career with 202 and is second in games played at 203; among other appearances in the Top 10 for both of them.
