ORANGEBURG, N.Y. - - The Wilmington University fought back in game two of its Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader against Dominican on Wednesday to earn a split, falling in game on, 9-0, but bouncing back to take game two, 6-4, at the South Orangetown Little League.
GAME 1:
Dominican (12-16, 7-7 CACC) came out on all cylinders in the opener, putting up three in the first inning and then used a five-spot in the fourth to finish off the Wildcats (24-16, 12-4 CACC).
A single a homer put the Chargers on top with the first three batters of the game. They added an RBI single two batters later to take a 3-0 lead. A solo homer in the second gave the Chargers a 4-0 lead and then they used a two-run double and a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth to enforce the mercy rule in the opener.
Haley Downin had the only hit of the game for the Wildcats, coming in the top of the fourth inning. She hit her team leading 12th double of the year.
GAME 2:
The nightcap saw the Wildcats get on top early, scoring two in the top of the first. Dominican tied the game in the second but the Wildcats had an answer in the top of the third and then added insurance runs in the fourth and fifth innings to secure the split.
Lauren Lopez and Gabbie Saucedo came through with a pair of two-out RBI singles in the bottom of the first to take a 2-0 lead.
Dominican tied the game in the bottom of the second with three straight singles and an error, but then Renamarie Rocha buckled down and induced a grounder, a strikeout, and another ground ball to end the inning.
It was two-out magic again for the Wildcats in the top of the third, as Gabbie Saucedo came through again with an RBI single. Bella Eleazar reached on an error to plate Lopez and give the Wildcats a 4-2 lead once again.
A two-out solo homer brought the Chargers to within 4-3 in the bottom of the third, but a two-out RBI single by Haley Downin in the top of the fourth gave the Wildcats their two-run lead back. Bella Eleazar then doubled in Saucedo in the top of the fifth and the Wildcats had a cushion of 6-3 going to the bottom of the fifth.
Three straight singles scored a run in the bottom of the sixth for the Chargers, but Rocha came up with a strikeout and then a bases loaded grounder to escape the jam and keep the Wildcats in front, 6-4.
The Chargers loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, putting the tying run on second with only one out. Rocha buckled down once again, picking up a strikeout to end the game and leaving the bases loaded to improve to 8-1 on the year.
Gabbie Saucedo went 3-for-4 with two RBI in the win while Haley Downin and Lauren Lopez each went 2-for-4 in game two.
UP NEXT:
Saturday is Senior Day for the Wildcats as they host Bloomfield at Asbury Field for another CACC doubleheader. The first pitch on Saturday is set for 12:00 p.m.