LITTLE FERRY, N.J. - - The Wilmington University softball team locked up the No. 2 seed and a home playoff game for the upcoming Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament with a game two victory, 9-3, on Tuesday, splitting with Felician after losing the opener, 4-2.
The Wildcats (28-16, 17-5 CACC) will host a CACC Tournament First Round game on Saturday, April 26 at Asbury Field. The time and opponent are still to be determined.
GAME 1:
After the Wildcats tied the game, 2-2, in the top of the sixth, the Golden Falcons (17-31, 10-12 CACC) scored two in the bottom of the sixth to take the opener, 4-2.
Felician got on the board with runs in the first two innings, scoring a two-out, unearned run in the first and another two-out RBI in the second. Emma Zimmerman hit an RBI groundout in the third to put the Wildcats on the board but then the offense didn't have another base runner until the sixth.
Bella Barnes tied the game with an RBI single down the left field line with one out, but that's all the Wildcats could get as a caught stealing and a ground ball got Felician out of the inning.
A leadoff single scored on a double for the Golden Falcons in the bottom half, and then they added another run with an RBI single for the 4-2 lead. Cassidy Zelano singled in the seventh but was left at first as the game ended.
Zelano led the Wildcats with two hits while Zimmerman and Barnes had the RBIs.
GAME 2:
The Wildcats came back and solidified the No. 2 seed with a 9-3 win in the nightcap. They scored two in the first and then used a three-run fourth and three-run fifth inning to take control.
The first two Wildcats reached to start the game but needed a Gracie Mabrey two-out single to score them both for the 2-0 lead. The Wildcats left the bases loaded in the third but then struck in the fourth.
With the bases loaded, Eve Serrato bunted Alexa Eiseman home and then Haley Grygo scored on a wild pitch. Bella Barned made it 5-1 with another RBI single. Grygo hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth and the Eve Serrato knocked in a run with a single and a second run scored on an error on the play, making it 8-1.
Eve Serrato went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored while Gracie Mabrey went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Cassidy Zelano and Tristyn Stewart also had two hits in the game for the Wildcats.
Delani Sheehan went five innings for the win, allowing an unearned run on three hits. She is now 11-7 on the year.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats could face a number of different teams on Saturday, depending on the outcome of a doubleheader between Caldwell and Georgian Court on Thursday afternoon.