News Release

Dominican Takes a Pair from Wilmington, 8-2 and 8-6, in Cold and Windy CACC Opener

SB: Game 1: Dominican 8 - Wilmington 2; Game 2: Dominican 8 - Wilmington 6

On a cold and windy afternoon, the Dominican College bats remained scorching hot at Asbury Field as the Wilmington University softball team dropped its 2013 home and Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference opener, falling 8-2 and 8-6 on Friday.

In a matchup of which both team were voted to finish in the top three in the CACC, the Wildcats (11-13, 0-2 CACC) fell short in the doubleheader, unable to hold a late lead in game two looking for the split. The Chargers (5-9, 2-0 CACC) bounced back from a 1-9 stretch, opening the CACC Schedule with a pair of wins.

The Chargers came out swinging in game one, putting two runs on in the board in each of the first four innings. In all, the visitors came away with 11 hits in the first game and rode the arm of reigning CACC Pitcher of the Year Delaney Childers to an opening 8-2 win.

After being down 2-0 before even coming to bat, the Wildcats battled back in the bottom of the first to tie the game after one full inning of play. Shelby Thompson and Brook Ash started the inning with a walk and an infield single, respectively, before Jillian Stafford launched a ball over the head of the left fielder, easily scoring both runs, for a standup double.

But that would be all the runs the Wildcats would muster off Childers, as the pitcher helped herself out in the top of the second with what would become the game-winning RBI triple. Childers went all seven, striking out five while allowing two runs on seven hits to improve to 3-5 on the season.

Ash and Stafford each went 2-for-4 in the first game while Rachel Painter, Cambria Ziemba, and Rice Fazio collected one hit apiece. Stafford hit the only extra-base hit for the Wildcats. Wilmington starter Chelsea Botsch was hurt by a pair of field errors behind her, throwing all seven innings while allowing four earned runs and striking out a pair. The sophomore fell to 3-5 on the year.

The Wildcats nearly totaled their game one hit total in the second inning alone, scoring all six runs on six hits to take a 6-3 lead after two full innings in the nightcap.

Wilmington loaded the bases with only out in the inning and picked up its first run of the game on a Cambria Ziemba single through the left side. Skye Boris followed with a long triple to the fence in right field, clearing the bases and giving the Wildcats a 4-2 lead. Thompson slapped one to short and Boris was able to touch home as the throw to the plate was wide and off the mark. The Wildcats’ final run came as Christin Headley singled into center while a misplay by the centerfield allowed Thompson to scurry home for the 6-2 lead.

The Chargers began to chip away at the lead with a single run in the third off Wilmington starter Katie Warrington before cracking the ace for four runs in the sixth. Dominican loaded the bases with only one out and eventually took the lead on a two out, two run single by Kim Ragazzo into right field.

Warrington allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 14 hits while striking out six batters in faller to 6-2 on the season. Ragazzo also picked up her first win of the season form inside the circle, pitching the final 5.2 innings in scoreless fashion for the win.

Boris led the offensive charge for the Wildcats in game two, breaking out in a big way with a 3-for-3 performance. She hit a single, double, and a triple in the contest, knocking in three runs on the triple. Ash, Headley, Stafford, Brooke Berger, Fazio, Painter and Ziemba each added a hit in the nightcap.

The Wildcats have a quick turnaround, unable to dwell on the pair of losses from Friday. Wilmington heads to Felician for another CACC doubleheader on Saturday. The games have been moved up from the original scheduled time and will now have a first pitch at 12 noon on Saturday.

Published: Friday, March 22, 2013 - New Castle, DE