ALLIANCE – The Wilmington College softball team season came to an end Saturday as the Fightin' Quakers dropped both ends of their Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader to Mount Union. Wilmington finished the 2015 season 7-31 overall, 2-16 in the OAC.
It marked the final collegiate games for Jess Clutter (Englewood, OH/Northmont), Sarah Maraan (Cincinnati, OH/McAuley) and Allie Noggle (Ashville, OH/Teays Valley).
GAME ONE: MOUNT UNION 10, WILMINGTON 2
The Purple Raiders scored seven runs in the first inning, partially due to three errors, as Mount Union recorded the 10-2 win in the first game.
Junior Megan Warren (Grove City, OH/Grove City) opened the scoring with her first homerun of the season, a one-out shot in the top of the first. The centerfielder was also in the middle of WC's other run as she opened the fourth inning with a double. She moved to third on a single by sophomore Kerrie Trautman (Hartville, OH/Field), and scored on a sacrifice fly by Noggle.
Junior Hillary Daria-White (Felicity, OH/Felicity Franklin) and freshman Emily Smith (Bellbrook, OH/Bellbrook) also had hits for Wilmington.
Freshman Beth Persicano (Knoxville, TN/Cincinnati Turpin) allowed 10 runs, only three of which were earned, on 12 hits in 3 2/3 innings.
GAME TWO: MOUNT UNION 10, WILMINGTON 9
Trautman was 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI, but the Fightin' Quakers blew a 7-0 lead and fell 10-9. The Purple Raiders scored the winning run with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Wilmington broke a scoreless tie with a five runs in the third inning as three straight singles by freshman Sawyer Hooper (Leesburg, OH/Wilmington), freshman Savannah Hooper (Leesburg, OH/Wilmington) and Warren. The latter two were bunt singles.
Trautman singled home Sawyer Hooper, and Savannah Hooper scampered home on a passed ball. Clutter singled to score Warren and Trautman, and then crossed the plate on a two-out single by Daria-White.
Back-to-back doubled by Trautman and Clutter scored a pair of runs to push the WC advantage to seven.
Mount Union took advantage of an error to score three unearned runs in the fifth inning, and then the Purple Raiders exploded for six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the lead.
With their backs to the wall, Wilmington came out fighting in the top of the seventh inning. Trautman walked and Clutter reached on an error to spark the rally. Noggle tripled to tie the game, but was stranded after three consecutive strike outs.
It proved pivotal as Mount Union scored the winning run in the bottom of the inning.
Clutter was 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, stolen base and an RBI, while Savannah Hooper was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Freshman Caitlin Matthews (Dayton, OH/Chaminade Julienne) took the loss in relief, allowed an earned run on two hits in 2/3 innings. Freshman Becca Carpenter (South Charleston, OH/Southeastern) allowed nine runs, six earned, on 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings.