DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - - The Wilmington University softball team dropped a pair of games to Embry-Riddle on Wednesday night, 3-1 and 11-6, at Radiology Associates Field.
GAME 1:
After the Wildcats (6-8) tied the game, 1-1, in the top of the fourth, the Eagles (9-7) answered with two in the bottom half to retake the lead.
The Eagles started the game with an unearned run in the bottom of the first. The Wildcats went down in order in the next two at-bats before striking in the fourth. Tristyn Stewart and Cassidy Zelano singled while Gracie Mabry was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Haley Grygo lined a single into left to tie the game, but that would be all the Wildcats would get, as the Eagles got a grounder, a shallow fly ball, and a grounder to escape any further damage.
A double and two errors allowed the Eagles to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth and then they added an insurance run on a squeeze bunt, sneaking past the tag at the plate for the 3-1 lead.
The Wildcats put runners on the corners with two outs in the sixth, but the Eagles escaped again with a ground ball. Emma Zimmerman and Maddie Vollmar singled in the seventh, but the Eagles got out of the jam again, leaving the tying runs on base as the game ended.
Cassidy Zelano went 3-for-4 while Haley Grygo picked up the Wildcats' RBI. Delani Sheehan went the first five before Maddie Vollmar struck out a pair in the sixth.
GAME 2:
The Eagles put up crooked innings in the second and fifth innings, answering every Wildcats' scoring inning with runs of their own.
A two-out walk in the top of the second led to three runs for the Wildcats, as Gracie Mabry doubled in a run and Emma Zimmerman plated two more with a double to give the Wildcats a 3-1 lead.
But the Eagles answered with four runs in the bottom of the second, using two hits and two errors to get the job done. Two bases loaded walks plated a pair while a wild pitch made it 6-3.
The Wildcats cut the deficit to 7-5 going into the bottom of the fifth, but the Eagles put up another four runs to pull away. An error started that inning for the Eagles as well. Maddie Vollmar doubled in a run in the top of the sixth, but that would be all the Wildcats would get back in the game two loss.
Bella Barnes went 2-for-2 with three runs scored while Gracie Mabry batted 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats travel to Saint Leo on Friday for their next doubleheader in Florida. The first pitch against the Lions is set for 5:00 p.m.