VIDEO INTERVIEW - MEGAN CRAGER
Story by Eli Altherr
WILMINGTON, Ohio - Megan Crager's walk-off single to right center field scoring Meranda Wilson to give the Wilmington College softball team a sweep of Capital University in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) series on Tuesday. The Fightin' Quakers won game one 9-7 and took game two 7-6.
In game one, Savannah Hooper and Allison Pierce both scored on wild pitches in the bottom of the first inning to get things started for Wilmington. Capital would take the lead shortly after in the top of the second inning. Bailey Walter scored on a single from Chevonne Hayslett and Erica Ogden scored shortly after that. Hayslett and Pam Vickers also scored on a double from Alyx Slusher to give the Crusaders a 4-2 lead after the second inning.
Savannah Hooper, Megan Crager and KenDahl Bowles all scored to help the Quakers regain the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Alecia Kemp singled to help Ali Dixon score and Savannah Hooper singled to bring Mariyah Burkhardt home making the score 7-4 in favor of the Quakers.
Cory Mangen scored on a double from Hayslett to start a comeback for Capital in the top of the sixth. Veronica Zack and Vickers also scored in the inning to tie things up 7-7. The Quakers wasted no time regaining the lead, however, as Kaylee Barber and Burkhardt both scored on singles in the bottom of the sixth. Wilmington held on to win 9-7.
Grace Shell earned the win for Wilmington pitching the whole game and had two walks while allowing 10 hits. Brianna Reardon took the loss for Capital allowing eight earned runs on 13 hits in six innings pitched.
Kemp, Burkhardt, Bowles, Crager, and Sawyer Hooper all had two hits each for the Quakers. Dixon had two RBIs. Kristen Mellott, Vickers, and Hayslett all led the way with two hits for Capital.
In game two, Capital jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second game thanks to a huge top of the second inning. Haleigh Luce scored on a single from Vickers, Hayslett scored on a single from Slusher and Vickers and Slusher would both later score on a single from Mangen.
Dixon and Savannah Hooper scored in the bottom of the third when Kemp doubled. Barber scored an inning later when Dixon singled to cut the lead to 4-3. After a scoreless top of the fourth for the Crusaders, Wilmington's office took the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Bowles knocked in Sawyer Hooper with a single to tie the game up at four. Crager doubled to help Bowles and Burkhardt score.
Trailing 6-4, Capital tied it back up at six in the top of the sixth when Walter scored on a Morgan Fadel single. Fadel scored later with a single from Slusher. The Crusaders nearly took the lead in the top of the seventh, but Persicano got out a two-on, one-out jam courtesy of a groundout and a flyout.
Crager then delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom of the seventh.
Beth Persicano pitched the whole game for Wilmington to earn her fifth win of the season. She had three strikeouts and a walk, while allowing 13 hits. Chevonne Hayslett pitched the whole game for Capital allowing 12 hits and three walks.
Crager, Bowles, Kemp, and Dixon each had a pair of hits for the Fightin' Quakers. Crager had three RBIs and Kemp had two RBIs. Hayslett, Luce, Mellott, Mangen, and Slusher had two hits each for the Crusaders. Mangen and Slusher each had a pair of RBIs.
"We played really solid roudn with a well-rounded offensive performance from our entire lineup," Head Softball Coach Beth Floyd said. "I'm extemely please with how we played in all aspects of the game - pitching, hitting and defense."
Wilmington improves to 11-13 overall and 4-10 in the OAC. Capital falls to 6-24 overall and 2-10 in the OAC.
The Quakers will face the University of Mount Union at home for an OAC doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.
