ALBION, Michigan - Senior Beth Persicano pitched a complete-game shutout to lead the Wilmington College softball team to 1-0 victory and a doubleheader split at Albion College on Sunday. The Britons took the first game 5-0.
In game one, Albion jumped on Wilmington starter Grace Shell with four hits and two runs (one unearned) in the bottom of the first inning. The Fightin' Quakers would get a runner to third with one out in the top of the second, but two groundouts to the pitcher ended the threat.
The Britons weren't done scoring, however, as the hosts loaded the bases via two walks and a hit by pitch in the bottom of the second. Kelsey Vogleman then cleared the bases with a triple to right field giving Albion a 5-0 lead.
Those three runs would be the last scored in game as both teams would get exactly one runner in scoring position in the final five innings.
Shell took the loss for the Quakers despite striking out six batters in six innings. Brianna Charron earned the complete-game win for the Britons allowing four hits in seven innings.
Wilmington had four hits coming from four different individuals – Savannah Hooper, Ali Dixon, Alecia Kemp and Mariyah Burkhardt – in the first game. Albion had six hits, also by six individuals.
In game two, all nine Quakers were retired the first time through the batting order, but Savannah Hooper reached base via an error in the top of the fourth. After a steal of second and a sacrifice bunt, Allison Pierce delivered a two-out, RBI-double to left field which proved to be the game's only run.
Persicano pitched around seven hits in the victory and allowed an Albion runner to reach base just once in the game (in the fifth inning). Eryn VanderVlucht took the loss for the Britons despite allowing just two hits and a single unearned run in seven innings.
Along with Pierce's double, Burkhardt was the other Quaker to tally a hit in the game. Vogleman finished a perfect 3-for-3 for Albion.
Wilmington (7-5) returns to action on Wednesday, March 28 for a two-game series against Defiance College.
