PALISADES, N.J. - - A nine-game winning streak came to an end, but the Wilmington University softball team was still able to split Felician in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader, winning game one, 5-1, before falling in the nightcap, 4-0, on Friday afternoon at Palisades Park.
The Wildcats (17-7, 7-1 CACC) swept four doubleheaders in a row and won game one, stretching its win streak to nine consecutive games before being shutout in the nightcap.
GAME 1:
Kylee Gunkel was once again dominant in the circle for the Wildcats, throwing a complete game four-hitter while striking out a new season-high eight batters. She only allowed one run and walked two batters, improving to a CACC best 9-1 on the year.
Gunkel left single runners on base in the first and second innings, and then the offense got things started in the top of the third. Tristyn Stewart started the inning with an infield single and moved to second on an error. Taylor Gillis singled and stole second and then Lexi Moore brought them both in with a two-run single. Bri Coyle made it 3-0 with an RBI ground out.
Gunkel then set the Golden Falcons (12-10, 2-1 CACC) down in order in the third and fourth innings and used a double play in the fifth to escape a small jam. Haley Downin then led off the top of the sixth with her first homer of the season and then Taylor Gillis placed one down the right field line to plate one more for the 5-0 lead.
Felician scored on a two-out single in the sixth, but nothing more as Gunkel shut down the Golden Falcons in the seventh.
GAME 2:
Felician's Alexis De La Cruz was able to shut the Wildcat offense down in the nightcap, only allowing five singles while not walking a batter for the shutout victory.
The Wildcats left one runner on in the first, two in the second, and one more in the third, but couldn't find the hit to bring in the runs. That was long enough for Felician's offense, as they took control in the bottom of the third.
Back-to-back doubles scored the first two runs for the Golden Falcons and then a third double following a pitching change made it 3-0 in the bottom of the third. Felician tacked on another run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly.
Wilmington's offense didn't have a solid threat the rest of the game, leaving two-out singles on base in the fifth and sixth innings.
Isabella Eleazar went 2-for-3 for the Wildcats with a stolen base while Stewart, Jess Reed, and Emma Zimmerman all added singles. Brooke Koehler went the final 3.2 innings, striking out five batters while allowing one unearned run. Delani Sheehan fell to 7-4 with the loss.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats have the weekend off but return to the diamond on Tuesday afternoon. They hit the road again and face a familiar nonconference foe in Adelphi, the team that defeated the Wildcats in the 2022 NCAA East Super Regional, 2-1. The first pitch is set for 2:30 p.m. in Garden City, New York.