COLUMBUS, Ga. - - The Wilmington University softball team split its opening day at the NFCA Division II Leadoff Classic against a pair of nationally ranked opponents, defeating No. 18 Lincoln Memorial, 5-4, before falling to No. 17 Alabama Huntsville, 1-0, in the nightcap.
GAME 1:
The Wildcats, also ranked No. 25 in the latest NFCA National Poll, played from in front for the majority of the contest against Railsplitters. The Wildcats jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the Railsplitters scored single runs in the second and fifth innings, and then tied the game with a run in the bottom of the seventh.
Bri Coyle hit an RBI single in the top of the first to give the Wildcats the 1-0 lead. A double steal scored the first run in the top of the second and then Taylor Gillis made it 3-0 with an RBI single back up the middle.
Delani Sheehan came on to pitch in the third and struck out the final two batters to leave the bases loaded. The Railsplitters inched closer with an RBI single in the fifth, and then started the seventh with a single. A sacrifice fly brought in the game-tying run, 3-3, but Sheehan left the winning run on second with a pop up and a punchout.
With the international tiebreaker rule in effect, the Wildcats scored as Sara Miller reached on a fielder's choice. Bri Coyle then squeezed home another run and the Wildcats were up 5-3.
Lincoln Memorial put the tying run on base, but a key 4-3 double play erased the base runners and only allowing one run to score. Sheehan closed out the win with a grounder to third, 5-4.
Haley Downin went 3-for-3 while Tristyn Stewart went 2-for-3. Bri Coyle went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Delanie Sheehan picked up her first win as a Wildcats with 5.2 innings of relief, striking out six.
GAME 2:
The Wildcats ran into a buzzsaw by the name of Katie Bracken in the nightcap, only getting three hits while the Alabama Huntsville pitcher picked up 12 strikeouts.
The only scoring in the game came in the bottom of the first inning, as the Chargers (11-3) earned a two-out RBI single to take a 1-0 lead.
Sara Miller singled and stole second in the second, but was left stranded. Lexi Moore singled and stole second in the top of the fourth inning, but she was left at third as Bracken got Miller to ground out. Isabella Eleazar started the fifth with a single, but she too was left stranded at third base as the Wildcats couldn't come up with the key hit. Bracken then shut the Wildcats down in order in the sixth and seventh innings to close out the 1-0 shutout.
Kylee Gunkel came on in the second inning and pitched 4.2 scoreless innings of relief, only allowing two hits and striking out two.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats have two more game in the NFCA DII Leadoff Classic, as they will play Columbus State and Wingate on Saturday. The first game of the day is set for 10:00 a.m.
