SPARKILL, N.Y. - - Sara Miller hit three home runs and collected 11 RBI as the bats of the 23rd ranked Wilmington University softball team finally woke up, breaking out for a 13-1 and 12-4 sweep of St. Thomas Aquinas on Monday afternoon at Spartan Field.
Sara Miller hit two homers in game one and then hit an inside-the-park grand slam in game two. She went 5-for-7 with three homers, a double, 11 RBI, and six runs scored in the doubleheader. Eve Serrato had seven RBI in the doubleheader with a homer and a double, batting 3-for-6 overall.
GAME 1:
Sara Miller started the afternoon with a two-run homer in the top of the first, getting the Wildcats off to a great start. After a quiet top of the second, the top of the lineup came back around in the third and it was Eve Serrato's turn to launch a homer, hitting a two-run shot to right center for the 4-1 lead. Miller walked and stole second and Isabella Eleazar brought her in with an RBI single.
With Serrato on third in the top of the fifth, Sara Miller put another one over the fence, hitting a two-run shot to center for the 7-1 lead.
Haley Downin started the seventh with a single and Julia Thuer put runners on the corner with a single. Tristyn Stewart started the scoring in the inning with an RBI single. Serrato was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run and the Sara Miller smacked a double to left center, plating two more. Delani Sheehan capped the scoring for the Wildcats with a two-run single, making it a 13-1 ball game.
Starter Kylee Gunkel allowed a first inning run to come in but then shut down the Spartans. She pitched 1-2-3 innings in the third and fourth and left two runners on in the fifth before handing it over to Brooke Koehler. Koehler struck out the side in the sixth to bring the mercy rule into play and end the game.
GAME 2:
The bats stayed hot into the nightcap, as they Wildcats fired off a five-spot in the top of the first.
Tristyn Stewart and Lexi Moore singled to start the game, setting the wheels in motion. Serrato grounded out to bring in a run and then Sara Miller collected another RBI with a single. Arianna Millan got in on the action with a two-out, two-run single into center field, plating Riley Maloney and Haley Downin.
The Spartans responded in the home half of the first though, making it a game in the early going. With runners on second and third, the Spartans picked up a two-run single down the left field line and then a two-run homer to make it a 5-4 ballgame.
Delani Sheehan settled into her start only allowing an error to reach in the third and a single in the fourth before turning it over to Koehler again.
The offense broke it open in the top of the fourth, scoring five runs on seven hits. Millan, Alexa Eisemann, and Stewart all singled to load the bases with no outs. Now with one out, Eve Serrato singled to start the scoring and then Sara Miller put one into the right field corner, past a diving Spartan. That allowed Miller to race around the bases for the inside the park grand slam and the 10-4 lead.
Eve Serrato wasn't done either, as she lifted a two-run double to center field in the top of the fifth, plating Stewart and Moore to bring the mercy rule into effect.
Brooke Koehler came on to record the final three outs once again, setting the Spartans down in order for the second straight game.
Tristyn Stewart had three hits in game two while Lexi Moore, Eve Serrato, Sara Miller, Rylee Maloney, and Arianna Millan all had two hits.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats are back in action on Tuesday afternoon as they look to carry the hot bats back into Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play. They head to Philadelphia to take on Chestnut Hill starting at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday.