NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The Wilmington University softball team needed to win an elimination game against Goldey-Beacom to advance to the CACC Tournament Championship on Saturday, falling to No. 2 Bridgeport, 4-2, before defeating the Lightning, 4-3, in the nightcap on Friday at Asbury Field.
GAME 1:
A matchup between the top two seeds in the CACC Tournament lived up to its billing to begin Saturday's action. But it was Bridgeport that broke a 2-2 tie with a two-out hit in the top of the seventh to win the winner's bracket game and advance to Championship Day.
Both teams loaded the bases in the first inning but Wilmington's Kylee Gunkel struck out a pair to escape the top half and Kaite Burawski picked up a strikeout to escape the bottom half and leave the game scoreless.
Bridgeport struck first in the top of the fourth, getting a two-out pinch-hit RBI from Alex Hughes.
The Wildcats answered right back in the bottom of the fourth, getting a leadoff double from Taylor Gillis. Sam Freeland followed with a single and a stolen base and the Wildcats had runners on second and third with no outs. Haley Downin tied the game with a squeeze bunt and then Emma Zimmerman made it 2-1 with another squeeze bunt.
The Purple Knights had an immediate answer in the top of the fifth however, as a leadoff single, sacrifice bunt, and an RBI single tied the game, 2-2. Gunkel was able to leave the go-ahead runner on third to end the inning.
Gunkel retired the first two Purple Knights to start the seventh inning, but then Bridgeport rallied. A single and a walk put two runners on before Angela Oros singled through the right side to bring in a run. An errant throw to second on the play allowed the second runner to come home as well, making it a 4-2 ballgame.
Emma Zimmerman started the bottom of the seventh with a single into right field, but a pair of ground outs only moved her to third without putting the tying run on base. A final ground ball ended the game and sent Bridgeport to the CACC Championship.
GAME 2:
Needing a win to stay alive in the CACC Tournament, the Wildcats took on No. 3 Goldey-Beacom. Tied 2-2, the Wildcats scored two in the bottom of the fifth and then Haley Downin came in and closed out the victory to send the Wildcats back to the CACC Championship.
Taylor Gillis started a rally in the second with a walk and a stolen base. Sam Freeland singled into right field as Gillis raced around third and scored the game's opening run. Emma Zimmerman came through with a two-out single to left, plating Freeland for the 2-0 lead.
The Lightning had an immediate answer in the top of the third, as the first four batters of the inning collected singles. Gabriella Saucedo threw out a runner at the plate for the first out, or else more damage would have been done. The fourth single brought in a run and then a sacrifice fly tied the game, 2-2.
Still tied in the bottom of the fifth inning, Sara Miller sent a ball to the right center field wall, chasing pinch runner Isabella Eleazar around from first to make it a 3-2 ballgame. Taylor Gillis then hit a sacrifice fly to plate Miller and the Wildcats were up 4-2.
Delani Sheehan got two outs in the sixth after a leadoff single, but then back-to-back singles brought in a run to cut the deficit 4-3. Haley Downin came on for Sheehan and induced an infield popup to end the sixth.
Downin then set the Lightning down in order in the top of the seventh, picking up a strikeout to end the game and earn her second save of the season.
Lexi Moore, Sara Miller, Sam Freeland, and Julia Thuer all had two hits for the Wildcats. Delani Sheehan earned the win to improve to 16-7 overall.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats advance to the CACC Championship against No. 2 Bridgeport on Saturday. The Wildcats need to win two games against the Purple Knights to defend their CACC Tournament Championship. The first pitch of the day is set for 11:00 a.m. at Asbury Field.