Wilmington University defeats Adelphi 3-1 to advance to their first-ever NCAA DII Women’s College World Series

Photo: Wilmington University

The Wilmington University softball team is heading to their first-ever NCAA DII Women’s College World Series after taking two games out of three in East Super Regional versus the Adelphi University Panthers. Wilmington dropped the second game of the series 4-1 and then punched their ticket to Chattanooga, Tennessee, with a 3-1 win in the third matchup.

CHATTANOOGA…HERE COME THE CATS!!!!!!!@WilmUSoftball defeats Adelphi, 3-1, to win the Super Regional and advance to it's first ever @NCAADII National Tournament!!#LetsGoCats!!!!!! @d2softball @CACC01

— Wilmington Wildcats (@WilmUAthletics) May 19, 2023

Related:

Wilmington University takes Game 1 in East Super Regionals with a 10-1 win over Adelphi

Game Leaders:

RBIs: Tristyn Stewart, Sara Miller, and Haley Downin would lead the team in RBIs, with one in the win.

Runs:  Lexi Moore, Miller, and Stewart also led the team in runs, with one in the game.

Hits: Taylor Gillis would lead the team in hits, with two in the win.

Stolen Bases:  Lexi Moore, Tristyn Stewart, Sara Miller, Haley Downin, and Emma Zimmerman each stole a base in the win.

Game Recap:

In the first three innings of this game, the two teams combined for five hits, but the pitchers found their way out of trouble each time.

That would all change in the bottom of the fourth inning when Wilmington would score three runs on four hits and one error to take a 3-0 lead.

Sophomore outfielder/catcher Tristyn Stewart would push in the first run of the game when she hit an RBI single to second base, which gave her team a 1-0 edge.

 Junior third baseman/outfielder Sara Miller would be the next batter up, as she would hit an RBI single up the middle to extend WilmU’s advantage to 2-0.

Two batters later, junior pitcher/second baseman Haley Downin would continue the scoring party as she slapped an RBI single up the middle of the field to expand the Wildcats’ lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning.

Adelphi would score one run in the top of the sixth inning, but Wilmington would hang on to seal a 3-1 win and their ticket to the NCAA DII Women’s College World Series.

Pitching recap:

Sophomore pitcher Kylee Gunkel went seven innings, gave up seven hits, one run, one earned run, struck two batters out, hit a batter, and earned the win.