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NEW CASTLE, Del . - - Kylee Gunkel and Delani Sheehan allowed eight hits combined while each throwing complete game shutouts as the Wilmington University softball team swept Adelphi, 2-0 and 7-0, on Sunday at Asbury Field.
Kylee Gunkel only allowed three hits without a walk while striking out four Panthers in the game one win. Delani Sheehan answered with a five-hit complete game shutout, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out four.
GAME 1:
Facing a familiar foe in Lindsay Hibbs, a pitcher in which the Wildcats faced in each of the past two East Super Regional series, the offense struck quickly before she could settle into the contest.
After Gunkel went 1-2-3 in the top of the first, Tristyn Stewart and Lexi Moore started the bottom half with back-to-back singles. But the Wildcats could only get a sacrifice fly form Sara Miller in the inning, taking a 1-0 lead.
The Panthers had a chance to tie it in the top of the third, looking to answer with a sacrifice fly of their own. But Tristyn Stewart caught the fly ball moving to her left, planted, and fired home to nab the runner at the plate to end the inning.
After a one-out walk to the second, the Wildcats didn't put another runner on base until the bottom of the sixth. But Gunkel did the same for the Wildcats, only allowing a single in the top of the fourth until the seventh inning.
Looking for an insurance run in the sixth, the Wildcats found one with a two-out triple to right by Sara Miller. She chased Stewart around from second for the 2-0 lead.
Adelphi started the seventh with a leadoff single, but the runner was left at first as Gunkel shut down the Panthers.
Tristyn Stewart went 2-for-3 with two runs while Sara Miller had both RBI for the Wildcats.
GAME 2:
A four-run third inning was more than enough for Delani Sheehan and the Wildcats in the nightcap. They added a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to extend their winning streak to 10-straight.
The defense came to play in the nightcap as well, with a 5-4-3 double play erased a one-out walk in the top of the second, and a diving catch in right center by Taylor Gillis ended the top of the third with runners on second and third.
The Wildcats' speed put the pressure on the Adelphi defense in the third, using a pair of errors to score four runs in the inning. Emma Zimmerman reached on an error on a sacrifice bunt attempt and then Tristyn Stewart reached on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt, the second bring in a run to open the scoring. Lexi Moore made it hurt with a two-run double to left and then Sara Miller tacked on another with an RBI double two batters later.
Lexi Moore got on in the fifth and made her way to third before Sara Miller hit another sacrifice fly to make it a 5-0 ball game.
Adelphi loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, but Sheehan induced a grounder to second to end the inning and escape unscathed. The Wildcats put the game away with two more runs int eh bottom of the inning.
Delani Sheehan hit a two-out triple to spark a rally and then Emma Zimmerman singled her home for the 6-0 lead. Steart extended the inning with a hit and then Lexi Moore hit an RBI single up the middle to cap the scoring, 7-0.
Lexi Moore went 4-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored in game two while five other Wildcats had one hit each. Sara Miller ended 1-for-2 with two RBI.
UP NEXT:
Wilmington will play another Northeast 10 opponent in their next matchup, welcoming Pace to Asbury Field for a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 26. The first pitch of game one is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
