Video Recap at Bottom of Page
NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The Wilmington University softball team couldn't have dreamt of a better start to the NCAA Division II East Region 1 Tournament on Thursday, as the top-seeded Wildcats came out and defeated No. 8 St. Thomas Aquinas, 10-0, in five innings at Asbury Field.
With the win, the Wildcats (41-14) advance in the winner's bracket and will play No. 4 Assumption on Friday at 10:00 a.m. The Greyhounds defeated No. 5 Saint Anselm, 4-3, in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the seventh in the other game on Thursday.
On Thursday, it was a five-run fifth inning that set the mercy rule into effect, as Taylor Gillis hit a three-run homer to right to end the ball game. The Wildcats scored in every inning except the fourth, scoring 10 runs on 11 hits. Delani Sheehan threw a two-hit shutout in the process.
Lexi Moore and Tristyn Stewart singles to start things in the bottom of the first and then Sara Miller starting the scoring with a sacrifice fly for her 59th RBI of the season.
Haley Downin doubled in Sam Freeland to start the scoring in the second and then Taylor Gillis hit a double off the base of the fence in left center to make it 3-0.
Gabriella Saucedo doubled in Miller to start the scoring in the third before Emma Zimmerman put down a squeeze bunt to make it 5-0.
The Wildcats left two on in the fourth without scoring, but that didn't slow them down in the fifth.
Saucedo walked to start the inning and then Sam Freeland beat out a bunt single. Pinch runner Cassidy Zelano avoided a tag at the plate as Zimmerman executed a squeeze play again to make it 6-0. Haley Downin pushed a bunt to a vacant second base position before Julia Thuer hit a sacrifice fly to center for the 7-0 lead. Gillis then deposited the first pitch she saw over the fence in right for the walk-off three-run homer. It was her first homer of the season.
Delanie Sheehan improved to 17-7 on the year with the complete game shutout, striking out two while not walking a batter.
Taylor Gillis went 2-for-4 with a double and a homer, knocking in four. Lexi Moore, Tristyn Stewart, Sam Freeland, and Haley Downin all added two hits each. Emma Zimmerman had two RBI without a hit.
Assumption came back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat Saint Anselm, 4-3, with a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh.
The first pitch of the winner's bracket game is scheduled to start on Friday at 10:00 a.m. at Asbury Field.
