CLERMONT, Fla. - - After dropping Wednesday's first game of a doubleheader against Florida Southern, the Wilmington University softball team game back in a big way, earning a split, 0-6 and 17-1, at the National Training Center on the team's third day of a two week trip to Florida.
The Wildcats (4-2) couldn't get the bats going in the day's first game, only securing three hits and committing three errors behind starting pitcher Danielle Griffin, leaving her out to dry for the loss. But the Wildcats made that up and then some in the second game, knocking around 13 hits and scoring a season high 17 runs, scoring a run in every inning but the second to earn the split.
Florida Southern (6-11), who received the most votes outside the top 25 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II Preseason Poll, scored a run in the top of the first but then didn't get to Griffin again until the fifth inning before putting the first game away late with a three run top of the seventh.
Griffin pitched into the seventh inning, totaling six innings pitched while giving up all six runs while only three of them were earned. The junior struck out one Moc on the afternoon before turning it over to Jillian Stafford who finished the seventh. Shelby Thompson, Brook Ash and Christin Headley each went 1-for-3 in game one, securing the only hits against Cheslsea Oglevie who improved to 4-5 on the year.
Game two was a completely different story however, as the Wildcats got on the board early and often, jumping out to a 2-0 lead after the top of the first. The only trouble game two starter Chelsea Botsch came across came in the bottom of the first, as she allowed a sacrifice fly to allow the Mocs to within 2-1 after one full inning of play.
After a quiet second innings, the Wildcats turned it on over the next three innings, putting 15 runs on the board over their next nine outs. Stafford, who already doubled in her first at-bat of the game, got things rolling in the third as she hit her second double of the game to left center, scoring Brooke Berger who started the rally with a one out walk. Two batters later, freshman Rice Fazio hit her own double to left center, scoring both Stafford and Headley to give the Wildcats a 5-1 lead.
In a much needed shutdown inning, Botsch came out in the bottom of the third and went 1-2-3, needing only nine pitches to get out of the inning unscathed.
Hitting for herself, Botsch started things off in the top of the fourth, hitting a single into left field to lead off the inning. Thompson followed with an infield single before Brook Ash loaded the bases with no outs. Two batters later Stafford was at it again, smashing her third double of the game, this time to right field for two more RBI's. Now with two outs and runners on second and third, Rachel Painter got in on the mix as well, hitting her own double to left field, scoring both Fazio and Headley to make it a six run fourth inning.
Botsch again came out and had a fast inning in the circle, allowing a one out single but only throwing six pitching in the inning as Stafford caught a line drive and stepped on the bag at first for an inning ending double play.
The top of the fifth was more of the same for the bats, as they put another six spot on the board to really put the game away. Berger got the scoring started with the season's first triple, hitting one down the right field line scoring Thompson from second. Stafford knocked in her fifth RBI of the game with a single back up the middle to make it 14-1. Still with one out, Fazio added to the score with another double to left field. Now with the bases loaded, Painter roped a double to right center, clearing the bases and capping the scoring for the game.
Botsch shut the door once again in the bottom of the seventh to earn her first win of the young season. The sophomore went all five innings in the mercy ruled complete game, striking out two Mocs while not allowing a walk. She improved to 1-1 on the year.
Stafford went an outstanding 4-for-4 with three doubles and five RBI's in the second game, also scoring three runs. Painter also ended with a game high five RBI's, finishing 2-for-4 with her first two doubles of the year. Fazio also went 2-for-4 with her two doubles, knocking in four runs. Berger finished 2-for-3 with two RBI's while also scoring three runs.
Wilmington has its first off-day of the two-week trip on Thursday and will return to action at the National Training Center on Friday, squaring off against West Virginia Wesleyan in the day's first game at 11 a.m., and finish the day with a nonconference matchup against Felician at 1 p.m.
