GAME ONE BOX SCORE

GAME TWO BOX SCORE

(NEW CASTLE, Del.) The Wildcats of Wilmington University found a way to battle back and take a pair of games from the visiting Lady Bulldogs of Bowie State University in non-conference softball action. Wilmington took the first game by a score of 5-3, and followed with a nine-inning, 7-6 victory in the nightcap.

The Wildcats blew the first game open in the bottom of the third, as Brooke Berger laced a RBI double, and Christin Headley blasted a three-run shot to give the hosts a 4-0 advantage. The Lady Bulldogs answered back with a single run in the fourth as freshman Cherokee Williams (Upper Marlboro, MD, Frederick Douglass) scoring on a throwing error. Bowie State added two more in the fifth to make it 4-3 with Williams scoring on another throwing error by the Wildcats and sophomore Justine Smith (Silver Spring, MD, James Hurbert Blake) crossing the dish via an error. Wilmington added an insurance run in the sixth, as Kinsley Parker singled home Meghan Logullo, who entered as a pinch runner for Amanda Cordrey.

Katie Warrington (4-2) earned the win and picked up the win for Wilmington. Warrington gave up one run (earned) on three hits, while striking out 10 in a combined six innings of work. The Wildcats were led offensively by Parker, who finished three-for-three with a RBI.

Wilmington took a quick 2-0 lead after one inning of game two, as Kristin Garvin and Amanda Cordrey each had RBI singles. They added one more in the third on a RBI single from Garvin to make it 3-0. Bowie State answered right back in the top of the fourth, plating three and tying the game.

Bowie State senior Danielle McClay (Silver Spring, MD, Montgomery Blair) led off the fourth with a double to left and freshman Renelle Traylor (Hayward, CA, San Lorenzo) followed that with a single to center scoring McClay. Sophomore Kristen Lee (Germantown, MD, Northwest) singled down the left field line and later scored along with Traylor.

The Wildcats scored single runs in both the fifth and sixth innings, making it 5-3 in favor of the hosts. That lead was short lived however, as the Lady Bulldogs plated two in the top of the seventh. A Williams double scored McNair and helped herself one play later, scoring on a fielding error. Wilmington had the bases loaded in the bottom of the frame, but was unable to push a run across.

The international tie breaker rule went into effect in the top of the eighth, and the Lady Bulldogs were able to score on a two-out double by Lee, pushing Traylor across the plate. The Wildcats tied the game at six in the bottom of the frame, courtesy of a Bowie State error. Wilmington kept Bowie State off the board in the top of the ninth, and finally put the game away in the bottom half of the inning. Jess Hassman sacrificed Amanda Crockett to third, after Crockett was placed on second to start the inning. Lauren Szymanski hit a fielder's choice to first, and Crockett was able to cross the plate with the game-winning run.

Erin Tingle (1-3) earned the win, as she scattered three runs (one earned) on two hits, while striking out four in five innings of relief. Kristin Garvin led the way offensively, going three-for-five with a pair of RBI, while Lauren Szymanski also added three hits.

Lee led Bowie State in the nightcap with two hits and McClay, Williams, Traylor and freshman Kiera Washington added one hit each.  Freshman Mariela Hernandez (Del Rio, TX, Los Fresnos) (2-8) suffered the loss in relief of sophomore Megan Alexander (Damascus, Md., Damascus).

With the wins, Wilmington extended their winning streak to four games and improved to 8-10 overall. Bowie State drops to 6-10 overall after the games.

Bowie State will take spring break in Myrtle Beach (S.C.), participating in the Snowbird Classic. The Lady Bulldogs will open the Classic – Monday (March 21st) against Grace College of Indiana at 9 am.