TIFFIN – The Wilmington College softball team scored an unearned run in the top of the eighth inning to salvage a split in Ohio Athletic Conference action Friday with Heidelberg at Jacko Huffman Field.
The Fightin' Quakers claimed the nightcap, 4-3. WC yielded a pair of runs in the opener to fall, 3-1.
Heidelberg forced extra innings by plating two runs via a one-out, two-run single. However, senior Danielle Monnier (Houston, OH/Houston) escape further damage with a pop-up and a strikeout to leave the bases loaded.
Senior Catlin Shilling (Waverly, OH/Waverly) started the winning push in the eighth with a one-out single, and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Kaylee Cox (Elgin, OH/Elgin). Shilling scored the go-ahead run on a fielding error.
Monnier sealed the game by wiggling out of two-on, no-out trouble in the bottom of the eighth. After the Student Princes began the inning with a walk and single, WC secured the win with consecutive outs at third and a pop out.
Shilling was responsible for giving Wilmington the lead in the first inning with a two-run homer. It was her team-high ninth longball of the season, putting her one away from tying the school's single-season mark she set a season ago.
The Fightin' Quakers tacked on another run in the fourth via four straight singles, three of which were of the bunt singles. A baserunning error helped stymie a bigger inning.
The Student Princes got that run back in the bottom half of the inning.
Freshman Kerrie Trautman (Hartville, OH/Field) was 2-for-3 with a run scored, and Shilling was 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Senior Erika Lee (Blanchester, OH/Blanchester) and junior Allie Noggle (Ashville, OH/Teays Valley) added RBI.
Monnier (11-9) earned the win in relief, allowing two earned runs on four hits in 4 2/3 innings of work with five strikeouts.
Cox recorded the only RBI in the opener with a two-out RBI single in the third inning to tie the game at one. However, the Student Princes scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth inning for the win.
Five different players recorded hits for Wilmington.
Monnier took the loss, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits in six innings of work with two strikeouts.
Wilmington (15-18 overall, 6-10 OAC) steps away from conference action, traveling to Louisville, KY for a doubleheader with Spalding.