The Wilmington College softball team split an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader Tuesday at the WC Softball Complex, beating Otterbein 8-7 in the opener, and falling 7-4 in the second game.
Wilmington (6-26 overall, 2-12) stays home to play Heidelberg 1 p.m. Saturday. The Fightin' Quakers will honors it three seniors, Allie Noggle, Jess Clutter, and Sarah Maraan before the first game.
GAME ONE: WILMINGTON 8, OTTERBEIN 7
Sophomore Sydney Kelly (Cincinnati, OH/Sycamore) had her first career walk-off hit as her two-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning enabled the Fightin' Quakers to overcome a five-run deficit and post the 8-7 victory. The extra-base hit capped a four-run rally.
Sophomore Kerrie Trautman (Hartville, OH/Field) started in the inning with a single, and moved to third on a double by senior Jess Clutter (Englewood, OH/ Northmont). Trautman scored on a wild pitch that also moved pinch runner Olivia Bauer (Williard, OH/Williard) to third. Senior Allie Noggle (Ashville, OH/Teays Valley) singled home a run, and moved to third on a double by Jessie Stewart (Fredericktown, OH/Highland). It was her fourth hit of the game, and it set up Kelly's dramatics.
Otterbein raced out to a 5-0 lead after three innings, but the Fightin' Quakers took advantage of OC miscues in the fourth to climb back into the game. A pair of one-out errors started the Wilmington rally. Stewart loaded the bases for Kelly, who singled home a run. After a strikeout, Megan Warren (Grove City, OH/Grove City) singled to right, driving home two, and another run came around to score on a fielding error.
The Cardinals scored a couple of runs in the sixth inning to provide some cushion, but the Fightin' Quakers battled back in the seventh.
Stewart went 4-for-4 with two runs scored, marking the second time this season she recorded a four-hit game. Kelly went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a career-high three RBI in the victory. Clutter added two hits, while Warren was 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Freshman Beth Persicano (Knoxville, TN/Cincinnati Turpin) earned the victory (3-15), allowing seven runs (five earned) on nine hits in seven innings.
GAME TWO: OTTERBEIN 7, WILMINGTON 4
Trautman and Noggle each drove home two runs, but four errors in the third inning were the ultimate undoing for the Fightin' Quakers in the second game.
Otterbein scored four runs, including three unearned in the inning, to give it a 6-0 lead. However, Wilmington battled back in their part of the inning.
Three straight one-out singles by junior Hillary Daria-White (Felicity, OH/Felicity-Franklin), Warren and freshman Savannah Hooper (Leesburg, OH/Wilmington) loaded the bases. Trautman singled home a pair of runs, and Clutter moved runners to second and third with a fly out. Noggle capped the scoring a two-run single of her own.
The Cardinals added an insurance run in the fourth.
Freshman Emily Smith (Bellbrook, OH/Bellbrook) also had a hit for the Fightin' Quakers.
Freshman Becca Carpenter (South Charleston, OH/Southeastern) took the loss (0-3), allowing seven runs (four earned) in seven innings on nine hits with four strikeouts and four walks.