CINCINNATI – Usually Catlin Shilling is terrorizing opponents with her bat. But with the game potentially slipping away, head coach Beth Floyd turned to the senior's arm.
With the tying run on deck, and three runs already in, Shilling managed to get the final out for her first save of the season – helping the Wilmington College softball team earn the non-conference sweep over the College of Mount St. Joseph Monday, 2-1 and 7-4, at the Kinder-Morgan Complex.
The Fightin' Quakers jumped on the host MSJ in the first inning of the night cap with a five-spot. Sophomore Megan Warren (Grove City, OH/Grove City) and senior Stacy Lunsford (Wilmington, OH/Clinton-Massie) started the game with back-to-back singles. A bunt single by Catlin Shilling (Waverly, OH/Waverly) and throwing error allowed the first run to cross the plate.
Hitting fourth for the first time this season, sophomore Tabby Biegler (Columbus, OH/Briggs) came up with the biggest hit of the game – a two-run triple to centerfield. She scored on a groundout by freshman Kerrie Trautman (Hartville, OH/Field).
Wilmington started over with three straight singles from senior Erika Lee (Blanchester, OH/Blanchester), junior Allie Noggle (Ashville, OH/Teays Valley) and freshman Sydney Kelly (Cincinnati, OH/Sycamore) to load the bases. Freshman Ashley McCray (Vandalia, OH/Butler) capped the scoring with a RBI groundout.
From there Trautman took over in the circle, allowing just three hits over the first six innings with three strikeouts. However, the freshman seemingly ran out of gas as MSJ tried to mount a comeback in the seventh. The Lions scored four runs in the inning, but couldn't overcome the seven-run lead WC built by tacking on single runs in the sixth and seventh innings.
Lee was 2-for-4 with a double and runs scored, while Lunsford and Noggle each added two hits for the Fightin' Quakers.
Offense was at a premium in the first game as it came down to the bat of senior Olivia Hutchison (Mason, OH/Mason). The catcher broke the 1-1 tie with a solo shot to right-center field. She was the only WC player with multiple hits, going 3-for-4 at the plate.
Mount St. Joseph took the lead in the first inning with a single, back-to-back wild pitches and a groundout. It would be the only rally the Lions could muster against senior Danielle Monnier (Houston, OH/Houston). She allowed just a two-out single the rest of the way. Monnier (5-5) allowed just one run on two hits with six strikeouts in seven innings.
Wilmington (9-10 overall) steps back into Ohio Athletic Conference action 1 p.m. Saturday with a doubleheader at John Carroll.