NEW CASTLE, Del. - - For the second year in a row, the Wilmington University softball team is the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Regular Season Champion outright, sweeping Bloomfield on Wednesday in a pair of mercy-ruled games, 9-0 and 10-0, at Asbury Field.
The Wildcats (35-12, 19-1 CACC) will be the No. 1 seed in the upcoming CACC Tournament and host a First Round game (or two) on Saturday afternoon at Asbury Field. The Wildcats will need to win one game on Saturday to advance to the double-elimination portion of the CACC Tournament, also hosted at Asbury Field starting on May 2.
GAME 1:
The Wildcats (35-12, 19-1 CACC) struck early and often on Wednesday, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first before adding five in the bottom of the third.
The Wildcats loaded the bases without recording an out in the first. Sara Miller worked a walk to bring in the first run and the Gabriella Saucedo hit a sacrifice fly and the speed of the Wildcats scored two runs on the sacrifice fly.
Sara Miller started the scoring in the third inning with an RBI triple to right field and then scampered home as the throw got away at third base. The Wildcats loaded the bases with one out in the inning and Julia Thuer knocked in a run with a single. Tristyn Stewart then added a two-run single into left center and the Wildcats were on top, 8-0.
Emma Zimmerman added a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to cap the scoring.
Kylee Gunkel didn't allow a hit until the top of the fifth inning, but then left that runner on second to end the game. She improved to 17-4 on the year with the complete game victory, striking out four while only allowing the one hit.
GAME 2:
The offense was up to the task once again in the bottom of the first, as the Wildcats scored five runs in the first and third innings to enforce the mercy-rule once again.
Tristyn Stewart singled and stole second and then Lexi Moore quickly made it 1-0 with an RBI single. Taylor Gillis added an RBI single and then Sara Miller launched her 22nd career homer to center, making it 4-0 in the first four batters of the game. Emma Zimmerman hit a two-out double to extend the inning and Cassidy Zelano brought her in with an RBI single, giving the Wildcats a 5-0 lead in the first inning.
Lexi Moore started the scoring in the third inning by plating Haley Downin and then Sara Miller added two more RBI with an opposite field single with the bases loaded. Eve Serrato capped the scoring with a two-run single of her own, making it 10-0 in the third.
Delani Sheehan went the distance for the Wildcats in the circle, only allowing a walk and four hits to improve to 14-6 on the season. Cassidy Zelano went 3-for-3 in the game while Tristyn Stewart, Lexi Moore, Taylor Gillis, Sara Miller, and Emma Zimmerman all had two hits. Sara Miller led everyone with four RBI. Sara Miller's homer was her 22nd of her career, tying her for the program record with Annie Davila.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats travel to Dominican on Thursday to makeup a doubleheader against the Chargers and to round out the regular season. The first pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. in Orangeburg, New York.