The Wilmington University softball team opened their 2019 season up with a win against the University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles on Sunday at Clermont, Fla.
As runs batted in goes ( RBI), four Wildcats had them and they were junior shortstop Alyssa Velasquez (1), third baseman sophomore Lauren Lopez (1), junior catcher Annie Davila (1) and senior first baseman Lexi Baughman (1).
Three Wildcats scored runs in the game and they were center fielder redshirt junior Kiana Broderson-Jones (2),Velasquez (1) and junior infielder Alexis Sann (1).
Seven Wilmington players had a hit in the game and they were junior left fielder Rosa’Lynn Burton (2), Broderson-Jones (2),Velasquez (1), Lopez (2), Davila (1), sophomore pitcher Makayla McCarthy (1) and senior second baseman Jazmeen Llamas.
Three Wildcats stole a base in the win and they were Burton (2), Velasquez (1) and Baughman (1).
On the pitching side, starting pitcher senior Caitlyn Whiteside was dominant on the mound as she went five innings, three hits, one strike out and earned the win.
Makayla McCarthy would relieve Whiteside and she went two innings, two hits, two runs, two earned runs, three walks and four strikeouts.
Whiteside had 40 strikes in 60 pitches and McCarthy had 29 strikes in 48 pitches in the Wildcats win.
Wilmington Strikes First In First Inning
Wilmington did not waste any time in getting the bats going as the top of the first inning started with a batter flying out but then Kiana Broderson-Jones bunted to get on first base. Wilmington would get another out but then Lauren Lopez would come up and hit a double to left center field which would score Broderson-Jones. Lopez’s RBI would give the Wildcats a early 1-0 lead.
Eagles & Wilmington both Score Two Runs In Sixth Inning
After five innings, Caitlyn Whiteside’s dominance on the mound was done as she went five innings, three hits, one strike out and earned the win.
Wilmington would add two more runs in the top of sixth inning to increase their lead to 3-0.
The first run came from Annie Davila who singled down the left field line which would score Alyssa Velasquez.
The second run of the inning came from Lexi Baughman who grounded out to first base but that would score Alexis Sann.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Makayla McCarthy would come into the game to relieve Whiteside and she had a rough go of it in the sixth inning with giving up two runs.
Eagles two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning came from Taylor Ricketts who singled to center field which scored Caitlyn Bradley and Kat Mueller. Ricketts double RBI single decreased WilmU’s lead to 3-2.
In the top of the seventh inning, Wildcats would answer back as Alyssa Velasquez singled up the middle which scored Kiana Broderson-Jones to increase their lead to 4-2.
McCarthy would calm down in the seventh as she pitched two innings, two hits, two runs, two earned runs, three walks and four strikeouts. The Wildcat pitcher would have the Eagles Mueller fly out to right field to give Wilmington a 4-2 season opening win.
Wilmington takes on #14 Grand Valley St. at the National Training Center at 9:00am and then Minn. St. Mankato at 11:30am on March 4th.
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