Press Release Written by Nathan Foltz
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NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The Wilmington University softball team swept a pair of games against Molloy on Sunday, winning by scores of 6-4 and 4-1 at Asbury Field.
Winners of six of their last eight, the Wildcats are getting back on track after a slow start to the season and used a strong combination of solid pitching and timely hitting to down the Lions at home. Three of Wilmington's six runs came with two outs in Game 1, while Maddie Vollmar threw seven innings of one-hit ball in Game 2, only allowing a single unearned run.
GAME 1:
Molloy jumped starter Olivia Hitchens in the first, scoring two runs after Hitchens walked the first batter and the second reached on a throwing error with a single and sac fly bringing them home.
The Wildcats then tied it up in the bottom of the second on a two-out two-run homer by Mia Lane, who brought in Gabriella Saucedo on the blast. Wilmington had runners on second and third with two down in the third, but didn't score again till the fourth with some smart baserunning. Cassidy Zelano bunted home Saucedo from third, then baited a throw from the catcher down to second base that allowed Brianna Greenlaw to score from second. After Zelano advanced to third on a flyout to right, Mia Keenan blooped a ball in front of the right fielder, to bring her home and make it 5-2 Wilmington.
Each team scored a run in the sixth (Molloy on a solo homer, Wilmington on another bloop single by Keenan that bounced past the right fielder to allow Zelano to score from second), but the Wildcats got into a bit of trouble in the top of the seventh. The Lions led the inning off with a double and infield single to third and made it 6-4 with one out on a 4-6 fielder's choice. But Kasey Xenidis, who relieved Hitchens in the sixth, then struck a batter out and induced a grounder to third that ended the game without any further Molloy damage.
Xenidis covered the final four outs of the game, allowing a run on two hits with two strikeouts. She also picked up the first save of the year for the Wildcat pitching staff. Hitchens' final line was three runs (two earned) on five hits, a walk, and four strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
Lane's second inning homer was the only extra base hit of the day for Wilmington, and the catcher also was the only Wildcat with two RBI. Towards the top of the lineup, Mia Keenan (2-4) and Addison Sabo (2-3) each had multi-hit efforts, with Keenan also picking up an RBI.
GAME 2:
In keeping with recent trends, pitching was once again the storyline for Wilmington in Game 2. Maddie Vollmar was perfect through four innings with the exception of a fielding error in the third that allowed a Lion to reach, giving Wilmington time to put together some offense. They first did so in the bottom of the third, using and RBI single by Jess Reed and a two-out double by Vollmar herself to stake the home team to a 2-0 lead.
Molloy finally broke through to start the fifth, getting their lone hit of the game on a hot shot to third. Consecutive errors loaded the bases, though, and Vollmar hit a batter to bring in an unearned run. The next three hitters were retired in order, though, and the Lions couldn't bring another run across to preserve the Wilmington lead at 2-1.
The Wildcats picked up some insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth thanks to Gabriella Saucedo, who brought in Haley Grygo and Addison Sabo with a two-out single off the wall in center. Vollmar continued to do her part in the circle over the final two frames, retiring six of the last seven Lions she faced. She allowed just one hit over the course of the game, giving up one unearned run with a walk and three strikeouts in exactly 100 pitches.
At the plate, Vollmar joined Hailey Trapani in the double-hitting club with one apiece. Vollmar drove in a run, as did Jess Reed, while Gabriella Saucedo led the team with two RBI. Reed went 3-3, and Haley Grygo and Hailey Trapani each went 2-3 in multi-hit efforts.
UP NEXT:
Conference play resumes for the Wildcats next week, when they'll take the short trip over to Goldey-Beacom to take on the in-state rival Lightning. First pitch on Wednesday is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.