PHILADELPHIA - - The Wilmington University softball team won the first game of its Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader against Philadelphia to extend its program record winning streak to 13 straight games, 3-1, but fell in game two, 5-4, to earn the split on Thursday at School House Lane Field.
The split not only ended the Wildcats' 13-game winning streak, it also ended a streak of nine straight wins in the CACC, as they are now 17-16 overall and 9-1 in the CACC. Philadelphia moved to 6-21 overall and 4-10 in the conference.
Junior starter Katie Warrington was at it again in the first game, as she improved to 9-6 on the year with another complete game. She allowed one run on two hits, as Meaghan Lewis opened the second frame with a leadoff home run, but struck out 11 batters for the third time in her last four outings.
The Wildcats knocked around the Rams starter for 10 hits, but could only manage one run in each of the first three innings, leaving nine runners on base for the game. But the three runs were more than enough for Warrington.
Shelby Thompson started off the game by legging out a single to second base. After stealing second, Brooke Berger moved her up 60 feet to third on a ground out. Christin Headley knocked in her first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to center field as the Wildcats took the 1-0 lead.
Wilmington added to the lead with another run in the second, starting with two outs and the bases empty. Amanda Crockett started the rally and the Wildcats soon loaded the bases with two more singles by Meghan Logullo and Thompson. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Berger pull a single through the left side scoring Crockett from third, but the relay got Logullo at the plate for the third out of the inning.
Following up to the Philadelphia home run to lead off the bottom of the second, Headley opened the top of the third with her third home run of the season to stretch the lead to 3-1.
Warrington did not allow another hit the rest of the game, only allowing two base runners on a walk and a hit-by-pitch from the fourth inning on. Thompson and Logullo each had two hits for the Wildcats in the first game.
Wilmington held a lead in the night cap of the doubleheader through the first four innings, but a bases clearing triple in the fifth by Philadelphia finished off the comeback for the Rams to end the long winning streak.
The Wildcats took a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning, off one swing of the bat from Headley. Berger worked a nine-pitch walk to load the bases and Headley took a 1-1 pitch to the gap in right center, scoring all three runners for her fifth RBI of the day.
Philadelphia responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the third off game-two starter Chelsea Botsch, but she worked out of a bases loaded, no out jam to only give up the two runs.
A pair of errors helped the Wildcats extend their lead to 4-2 in the top of the fourth as Rachel Painter came around for the innings only run. Painter reached on an error at third base before racing all the way around on a Kristin Garvin single and an error by the left fielder.
Botsch ran into more trouble in the bottom of the fifth as Philadelphia center fielder Alison Glaser, left fielder Emma Haley and pitcher Samantha Abromavage strung together back-to-back-to-back singles to load the bases for Lewis. Lewis cleared the bases with her second triple of the year, which hit the base of the fence in left field.
Wilmington had a chance to even the score in the top of the sixth after Painter roped a one out double to left center to start the comeback bid. Garvin singled through the left side, but Painter could only move up to third on the play. Garvin stole second to put the go-ahead run on second, but Ram reliever Kaitlin MacQueen induced a strike out and a pop up to get out of the inning unscathed.
The Wildcats had another chance with the bases loaded in their final at-bat in the top of the seventh. With two outs and the bases empty, Headley walked, Kinsley Parker singled and Jillian Stafford walked to load the bases. Painter scalded an 0-1 pitch but right at the second baseman who barely had time to react to make the game-saving, game-ending catch.
Botsch threw all six innings but fell to 4-5 on the year after giving up five runs on 10 hits. She struck out four on the afternoon. Garvin led the Wildcats by going 2-for-3 in game two while Headley batted 2-for-6 with five RBI's in the twin-bill. Thompson finished 3-for-8 with two runs scored on the day.
Wilmington will have a chance to start a new streak on Saturday, as the Wildcats return to Asbury Field for a CACC doubleheader against Bloomfield. The Deacons are 17-12 overall and 4-6 in the CACC after sweeping Philadelphia in their last action on Tuesday. The first pitch of game one is schedule for 1 p.m.