STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - - Kylee Gunkel and Renamarie Rocha tossed back-to-back shutouts for the second doubleheader in a row as the Wilmington University softball team swept Nyack, 8-0 (6 inn.) and 2-0, on Monday in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action at the College of Staten Island Softball Complex.
The duo has now gone 27.2 consecutive innings without allowing a run. These Wildcats are well off the team record however, as Chelsea Botsch and Brooke Lachette went an incredible 66.1 straight innings without allowing a run in 2015.
GAME 1:
Kylee Gunkel improved to 13-10 on the year with the complete game shutout, striking out seven batters while only allowing three hits without a walk.
Arianna Millan paced the offense in the opener, bringing in the game's first run with a two-out triple in the second. She also hit a two-out RBI double in the top of the fifth inning, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Lauren Lopez made it 2-0 with an RBI single into right center in the third and then Kiersten Comer doubled in Emma Zimmerman for the 3-0 lead in the fourth. Courtney Dellinger followed Comer with an RBI single, giving the Wildcats a 4-0 lead in the fourth.
Millan's RBI double came in the fifth and then the Wildcats put the game away in the sixth. Sara Miller scored on a wild pitch and then Gabbie Saucedo beat out a bunt single to plate Moore for the 7-0 lead. Emma Zimmer brought the mercy rule into effect with an RBI single to left center for the 8-0 lead.
Gunkel completed the shutout by getting a line drive double play to end the game, as Lexi Moore caught the liner at third and threw over to first for the final out.
GAME 2:
Renamarie Rocha improved to 10-1 on the year with her second complete game shutout. She struck out two while scattering five hits and a walk.
The offense was slow out of the gates in the nightcap, leaving singles by Adriana Bueno and Sara Miller on base in the first two innings. Gabbie Saucedo reached on an error to start the fourth inning and then got into scoring position by stealing second. Lauren Lopez reached on another error by the Warriors, allowing Saucedo to come home with the game's first run.
The Wildcats had the bases loaded and no outs in the fourth, but two pop ups to the infield and a grounder ended the inning without scoring any more runs.
The Warriors loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth with one out, but Rocha buckled down and picked up a strikeout and a grounder back to the circle to end the threat.
Emma Zimmerman singled to left to spark the top of the sixth inning. Sara Miller walked and both runners were in scoring position after a wild pitch. Kiersten Comer grounded out to second, but the infield was back and allowed Zimmerman to score to make it 2-0.
Renamarie Rocha left a two-out double on second in the sixth and then retired the Warriors in order in the seventh to finish off the sweep.
UP NEXT:
Tuesday's doubleheader at Jefferson has been moved to Thursday due to expected bad weather. The Wildcats and Rams will battle on Thursday in Philadelphia starting at 2:30 p.m.