BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - - The Wilmington University softball team is no stranger to postseason play, looking for its third consecutive Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship this weekend. But it was a pair of freshmen in their first postseason tournament that carried the Wildcats to an 8-3 win in the opening round over Goldey-Beacom on Thursday afternoon at Seaside Park.
With the win, the No. 2 seed Wildcats advances to play No. 4 seed Jefferson in the winner's bracket final on Friday morning at 11:00 a.m. Jefferson upended top seed and host Bridgeport, 2-0, to start the day.
Freshman Haley Grygo led the offense by going 4-for-4 with a homer, a double, and four RBI. Freshman Maddie Vollmar hit a double but more importantly, came into the circle to pitch the final 4.2 innings, striking out five while only allowing one hit and one walk to earn the victory.
The Lightning jumped out in front early, getting the bats going from first inning. A one-out triple started a first inning rally, scoring two runs off starter Delani Sheehan. The Wildcats got one back in the home half though, as Tristyn Stewart walked and stole second. Haley Grygo's day started with an RBI single in the bottom of the first.
The Lightning added a run off Sheehan in the top of the third and had runners on second and third with one out when Maddie Vollmar came on. She picked up back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the jam and keep the damage to a 3-1 deficit.
Haley Grygo picked up a two-out RBI single in the third and then scored the tying run, 3-3, on a double from Bella Barnes, sneaking one past the third baseman down the line.
Tristyn Stewart placed a perfect infield single with two outs to give the Wildcats the lead in the fourth and then Grygo was at it again in the fifth. She started the inning with a double into the left field corner and then easily scored on a triple to right from Bella Barnes.
Maddie Vollmar hit a double to left center that plated a run for the 6-3 lead and then Haley Grygo launched a two-run homer to left capping the score at 8-3.
The Wildcats had 12 hits with eight of them coming from freshmen. Grygo led with her four hits while Gracie Mabrey went 2-for-3 as well. Maddie Vollmar and Sydney Hatch each had a hit as well.
Goldey-Beacom defeated Bridgeport, 3-0, in the elimination game on Thursday and will await the loser of Friday morning's game.