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NEW CASTLE, Del. - - Kylee Gunkel became the Wilmington University softball program's all-time wins leader on Tuesday, picking up her 70th career victory as the Wildcats swept Jefferson, 10-1 and 11-3, at Asbury Field.
Kylee Gunkel is now 70-30 all-time, surpassing the 69 wins set by Caitlyn (Whiteside) Osuna from 2016-19.
GAME 1:
The Wildcats (14-12, 7-1 CACC) scored in every inning of the opener, breaking it wide open with a five-run bottom of the fourth inning.
Delani Sheehan helped herself with an RBI single in the second before Emma Zimmerman squeezed in another run to make it 3-0. Maddie Vollmar hit a two-out single to third base for another run, giving the Wildcats a 4-0 lead after two at-bats.
Eve Serrato launched a solo homer to left center in the bottom of the third and then the Wildcats broke it open in the fourth. Tristyn Stewart started the scoring with an RBI single and then Haley Grygo dumped one into left for an RBI. Bella Barnes then blasted a three-run shot to left center for her second homer of the season, giving the Wildcats a 10-0 lead.
Delani Sheehan went all five, allowing an unearned run in the top of the fifth. She improved to 4-5 on the year with three strikeouts, allowing four hits and two walks. She was also the only Wildcat to have two hits in the game.
GAME 2:
A five-run bottom of the fifth gave the Wildcats the sweep and their seventh straight victory, 11-3.
A squeeze and a sacrifice fly gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead in the first. The second inning was the only inning in which the Wildcats didn't score on Tuesday, but they answered with three in the third. Sydney Hatch walked with the bases loaded and then Rylee Maloney doubled over the head of the third baseman with two outs, plating two for the 5-0 lead.
The Rams cut into the deficit in the top of the fourth with three runs, hitting a two-run triple and scoring on a two-out error to make it a game. Haley Grygo hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth to swing the momentum back in favor of the Wildcats.
Karen Sickle tossed a 1-2-3 top of the fifth and the Wildcats closed out the game with a two-out rally in the bottom fifth.
Olivia Hitchens started the scoring with a two-out single back up the middle. Maddie Vollmar walked to force in a run and then Haley Grygo doubled to the fence in the left field corner, chasing all three runners around for the walk-off knock.
Kylee Gunkel went the first 3.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits, picking up the win in the five-inning game. Sickle earned her first collegiate save, going 1.1 scoreless innings.
Haley Grygo went 2-for-3 with two doubles and four RBI. Rylee Maloney went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBI while Maddie Vollmar finished 2-for-2 with aa triple, an RBI and four runs scored.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats are off until the weekend, as they travel north to take on Post and Molloy. The games in Waterbury, Connecticut, on Saturday begin at 1:00 p.m.