NAPLES, Florida – The Wilmington College softball team won two two-run games on Monday, defeating Massachusetts College of the Liberal Arts (MCLA) 10-8 and Crown College 5-3 to improve to 4-0 on the Quakers' annual spring trip to Florida.
MCLA tagged Quaker starter Hillary Huffer with two runs (one earned) and three hits in the top of the first, marking the first time WC had trailed in the spring trip. It wouldn't last long, as Judaea Wilson scored on a wild pitch in the first, and a failed pick-off attempt in the second tied the game. Mollie Moore grounded out to shortstop on the next at bat, scoring Rachel Berry.
Huffer pitched around an error in the top of the third, and the WC offense gave its starter more support in the bottom half of the inning. Logann Julian led off the inning with a walk, and after steal of second base, advanced to third on a Lizz Hadley single. Olivia Doll reached via an error to load the bases, and Samantha Schwab singled to center field, scoring a run and moving everyone up a base. A fielder's choice that followed scored another run, and the Quakers then executed a double steal for the third run of the inning.
Leading 6-2, Wilmington scored two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings while surrendering one. Now up seven runs, the Quakers would need nearly all of their cushion as the Trailblazers mounted a rally in the sixth. With Aiyana Hancock on the mound, MCLA scored a run and loaded the bases on three singles and a walk. Madison Teta then launched a deep drive to right center and beat the throw home for an inside-the-park home run. Up just 10-8, Huffer returned and close out the game and preserve the Quaker victory.
Huffer improved to 1-1 on the season, pitching 6.2 innings in total including the final five outs. The Milford High School alumna scattered five hits with two strikeouts and allowed just one earned run. Gabriella Cozzolino fell to 0-2 on the year by allow six runs (two earned) with three walks in three innings.
Wilmington held an 11-9 edge in hits with Wilson, Julian and Schwab all finishing with two singles. The Quakers also swiped seven bases with Julian and Rachel Berry credited with two each.
The nightcap saw a lot of innings with run scored, but not a single inning with more than one run scored for either side. Wilmington scored a run in each of the first four innings. A Lindsey Carter triple scored Julian in the first inning with Julian singling in Moore in the second. Rachel Berry tallied one of her three hits in the third, scoring Hadley, to give WC a 3-0 lead.
The Polars plated one in the third, and after another RBI-single from Julian in the fourth made it 4-1 Quakers, a single run in both the fourth and fifth innings for Crown made it a one-score game. The triple was stranded, however, as Izzy Rothrock, who relieved WC starter Avree Entler in the fifth, induced a groundout and pop out to end the inning.
A scoreless sixth inning from both teams followed, and Berry gave her team an insurance run with an RBI-double to deep right center field in the seventh.
Entler won her first collegiate game, pitching 4.1 innings and allowing three earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Rothrock notched an eight-out save. Emmy Romportl took the loss for Crown, allowing a dozen hits and five earned runs with five walks.
Berry finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a double while Moore, Doll and Julian also had multi-hit contests. Itzel Valles led the Polars with a 2-for-4 effort including a double and a triple.
Wilmington (4-2) continues play against St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) and Western Connecticut State University tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. respectively.
