DAYTONA, Fla. - - The 11th ranked Wilmington University softball team dropped a pair of extra-inning games on Saturday, first to Assumption, 3-2, and then to host Embry-Riddle, 2-1, at Radiology Associates Field.
The Wildcats (3-4) tied each game in their last scheduled at-bat, but they couldn't come through in extra innings, first in eight innings against Assumption and then in nine innings against Embry-Riddle.
GAME 1:
Starter Brooke Koehler got through the first inning by leaving two runners on and then cruised through the rest of her five innings of work, allowing two hits to go with three strikeouts until the sixth.
The offense left a runner on in each of their first three at-bats, including getting a runner thrown out at the plate trying to tag on a sacrifice fly in the third. Arianna Millan and Taylor Gillis singled with two outs in the fifth, but again the Greyhounds got out of the inning.
A walk, a stolen base, and a run on a bunt single is how the Greyhound plated a run in the top of the sixth, ending Koehler's day.
With two outs and the bases empty, Sara Miller started a rally with a single through the left side. Emma Zimmerman singled off the pitcher's glove and then Taylor Gillis singled into left to allow Miller to tie the game, 1-1. But the Wildcats couldn't get another run, sending the game into extra innings.
With the international tiebreaker in play, the Greyhounds scored on a double and a sacrifice fly, make it 3-1. Eve Serrato got one back for the Wildcats with an RBI single, but the Wildcats left two runners on as the Greyhounds took the game,
Taylor Gillis had three hits and an RBI in the game. Haley Downin pitched three innings of relief for the Wildcats.
GAME 2:
The offense struggled to get going again in game two against Embry-Riddle, producing only six hits. Starter Kylee Gunkel got the first two outs of the fourth inning but then the Eagles collected a run with a double and an RBI single.
The Wildcats didn't get a rally going until the seventh inning when Sam Freeland reached on an error. Lexi Moore and Gabriella Saucedo beat our bunt singles to load the bases with no outs. Now with one out, Freeland raced home on a wild pitch, tying the game, 1-1. But the Wildcats couldn't scratch across the go-ahead run, as the Eagles got out of it with a line out and a ground ball. The Eagles left two on themselves in the bottom of the seventh, sending the game into extra innings.
Sam Freeland started the ninth with a single and a stolen base, and then was standing on third with one out. But again, the Eagles got out of the jam, picking up a strikeout and and a ground out. The Eagles had runners on second and third with two outs and came up clutch with the walk-off hit, 2-1.
Lexi Moore finished 2-for-3 for the Wildcats. Gunkel came back in for the ninth inning, going 4.2 innings total. Delani Sheehan tossed the other 4.0 innings, not allowing a run on four hits and two walks.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats are back in action on Sunday, playing a pair of neutral site games in a new location. The Wildcats will head to Melbourne, Florida, to play at the home of the USSSA Pride, and battle Ferris State and Saginaw Valley State.