Press Release written by Mitchell Coll
NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The Wilmington University softball team stayed hot on Wednesday as it earned its fourth sweep in a row with 6-3 and 2-1 victories over an always tough West Chester University Golden Rams team in a regional matchup at Asbury Field.
Game 1:
Freshman Brooke Koehler started in the circle for the Wildcats (16-6) and pitched a decisive four complete innings. Koehler retired the first three batters of the game and only gave up two hits and one run, which was unearned.
The Wildcats swung the bat early but could not convert it to runs. Taylor Gillis and Lexi Moore had back-to-back singles in the first. Sara Miller was able to get on base with a single as well. The Wildcats had the bases loaded with one out, but West Chester's pitcher Makenzie Edwards did a good job pitching out of the jam to end the first.
After the Golden Rams scored in the top of the second, the Wildcats capitalized in the bottom of the fourth with two runs. Arianna Millan started the hitting with a double to the left center. Cassidy Zelano pitch ran for Millan and advanced to third from a Bella Eleazar sacrifice hit. Emma Zimmerman singled up the middle, followed by a double to center by Taylor Gillis helped the 'Cats see their first lead of the game, 2-1.
The Golden Rams answered in the top of the fifth, scoring twice from two hits. The Wildcats had Jess Reed in scoring position, but the 'Cats left two on base to end the fifth.
The Wildcats loaded the bases again in the bottom of the sixth; this time, it was a different outcome from the first inning. Eleazar, Zimmerman, and Gillis all singled to load the bases. Lexi Moore stepped up to the plate and grounded out to second but picked up the RBI as Eleazar scored to tie the game 3-3. Sara Miller then stepped up and delivered an RBI single, and a fielding error also scored the second runner Tristyn Stewart to put the score 5 to 3. Sara Miller would score the Wildcat's last run to make it 6-3 Wildcats.
Delani Sheehan picked up her seventh win of the season as she came in relief for Koehler in the fifth inning. Sheehan pitched three innings, allowing five hits, two earned runs, and three strikeouts.
Game 2:
Kylee Gunkel pitched another gem on the mound for the Wildcats in game two of the doubleheader against West Chester. Gunkel went the distance on the mound, pitching seven innings, only giving up two hits, and striking out three batters. Gunkel was perfect through four and two-thirds innings.
The Wildcats' defense led the way as four different Wildcats had three putouts in Taylor Gillis, Lexi Moore, Tristyn Stewart, and Bella Eleazar. The outfield helped Gunkel out of some nice pieces of hitting as Gillis made two great back-to-back catches in center field at the top of the third.
The Wildcats' offense came early, as they would jump ahead in the bottom of the first inning. Gillis, the lead-off hitter, was able to get on first and eventually moved to third base. Jess Reed found her way up with one out and Gillis on third. Reed delivered a base hit to left field that scored Gillis.
The Wildcats' bats were right back at it at the bottom of the second inning. First, Tristyn Stewart singled through the left side to get on base. Stewart then found her way to third on two Wildcat groundouts. Freshmen Casiday Zelano stepped up big with a hit down the right field line to score Stewart.
Gunkel gave up a home run in the fourth and one hit in the fifth. Gunkel went 1-2-3 in the sixth and pitched a solid seventh inning to close the game and improve to 8-1.
Up Next:
The Wildcats will return to CACC play and travel to New Jersey to take on Felician University on Friday. The doubleheader, moved up from its original date of Saturday, is set for 2:00 and 4:00 PM.
