NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The Wilmington University softball team dropped a pair to East Stroudsburg on Friday in their Asbury Field opener, losing 7-5 in Game 1 and 9-3 in Game 2.
Late four-run innings by the Warriors doomed the Wildcats in both games, which were otherwise closely contested. The offense put together some of its best efforts of the young season, but nonetheless, their losing streak now stands at 11 games.
GAME 1:
East Stroudsburg struck early, bringing around a leadoff single on a sac fly in the first to stake a 1-0 lead. They then tacked on another run in the third with a two-out single and subsequent double as the Wildcat bats stayed quiet.
The bottom of the fifth is where things got interesting, as Wilmington rallied for five runs to match the largest lead they've held in a game since the last time they played the Warriors on February 19. Angelina Edwards got the party started with a single to lead off the inning, and Addison Sabo followed with a single of her own. Gabriella Saucedo dealt the first blow to ESU's lead, driving a double to the left-center gap to bring in Hailey Trapani, who was running for Edwards. Mia Lane came through next, driving in Sabo and Saucedo with a single, and then Maddie Vollmar brought in Lane with a triple. The final run came in off the bat of Jess Reed, who singled up the middle to make it 5-2.
After setting down the Warriors in the sixth, Wilmington had the end of their nine-game losing streak in sight, recording the first out of the seventh on a grounder to short. But then the Warriors came back to life after going hitless in each of the previous three innings, roping a pinch-hit double and a single down the line. Vollmar picked up a backwards K for the inning's second out, but ESU's Delaney Ridgell blasted a go-ahead opposite-field three-run homer, putting them back on top 6-5. The hits didn't stop there, as the Warriors followed up the homer with a single and an RBI triple for a big insurance run. Olivia Hitchens came on to get the last out, but the damage was done.
Addison Sabo gave the Wildcats hope with a single to start the bottom of the seventh, but the next three hitters went down 1-2-3 to end the game.
Sabo led the Wildcat offense from the leadoff spot, going 3-4, while six other hitters recorded one hit. Mia Lane was the only Wildcat with multiple RBI, driving in two on her fifth-inning single.
Vollmar pitched well before surrendering the four seventh-inning runs, leaving the game with a final line of seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits, two walks, and four strikeouts in 6.2 innings.
GAME 2:
The Warriors picked up in Game 2 where they left off in Game 1, jumping Kasey Xenidis for four runs before the Wildcats could get an at-bat. When they did come to the plate, they began to cut into the deficit, using a two-out Vollmar double to bring in Saucedo to make it 4-1.
Wilmington got another run in the third with a Saucedo RBI groundout, then plated a third in the fifth thanks to a Sabo single that scored Cassidy Zelano. But after shutting down the Warriors to the tune of three hits from the second to the fifth, the Wildcats faltered in the sixth, allowing four East Stroudsburg runs to come across on two hits, two walks, and a wild pitch amid a flurry of pitching changes. The inning erased the hard work Wilmington's offense had done to claw back into the game, and after ESU scored a ninth run in the seventh inning, the Wildcats were unable to finish the comeback they had been working towards all game.
Six different players made up the six Wildcat hits in the game, with Vollmar and Krista Brunson hitting doubles. Sabo, Saucedo, and Vollmar picked up an RBI each.
Kasey Xenidis took the loss, though she pitched well after the first inning. Her final line came out to four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts across five innings. Olivia Hitchens, Clara Babyak, Karen Sickle, and Julia Scannapieco covered the final two innings of the ballgame, combining to give up five runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks. Hitchens and Scannapieco each struck out a batter.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats will take on another member of the PSAC on Sunday with a trip up to West Chester University. First pitch of that doubleheader is tabbed for 12:00 pm.
