(FRANKLIN, Ind.) – The Wilmington College softball team opened up their 2024 season Saturday afternoon with a pair of losses at Franklin College, 13-5 and 10-7. Wilmington was led at the plate by senior Samantha Schwab with four hits over the two games, while five other Quakers recorded two hits during the day. The Quakers begin the season 0-2 and are off until they head to Florida for spring break, with their first games coming on Sunday, March 10th.
Game One – Franklin defeats Wilmington, 13-5 (5 innings)
The Quakers fell behind 8-0 after the first inning. Claire Scully began the second inning with a walk and a steal to give the Quakers a runner in scoring position with nobody out. The next two batters made outs, but a clutch Kori Cornett double to left field plated the first run of the season for Wilmington.
The Quakers scored three runs in the third inning to cut the lead to 9-4. It began with a Jocelyn Franz triple to center field before a Samantha Schwab single brought in Franz with nobody out. The Grizzlies would get two outs with a runner on second, before a walk loaded the bases. A pinch hit, two RBI single from McKenna Archey brought in the final two runs of the inning.
The Grizzlies scored four more runs before Wilmington scored a final time in the fifth inning. Schwab started the inning with a triple before Maddie Starnes brought her in with a sacrifice fly. Franklin completed the run rule though with a 13-5 score after five innings.
Game One Notables
- Samantha Schwab tied for a game-high three hits.
- Jocelyn Franz got two hits in her Quakers debut.
- McKenna Archey had two RBI while Kori Cornett, Schwab, and Maddie Starnes all had one.
- Claire Scully drew two walks.
- The Quakers had three extra base hits.
- Hillary Huffer had the lone Quakers strikeout in the circle.
Game Two – Franklin defeats Wilmington, 10-7
The second game was back and forth, with the score tied at 2-2 after three innings of play. Mollie Moore hit a two out double to bring in Alasandra Spears, who doubled to start the inning to score Wilmington's first run in the second inning. The third inning saw their run come off a Spears sacrifice fly to bring home Franz.
Franklin scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Wilmington didn't blink. They scored five runs over the following two innings to take a 7-6 lead into the bottom of the sixth.
In the fifth, Judaea Wilson tripled to bring home Schwab, and Spears singled to plate Wilson. The sixth saw a two-RBI single from Maddie Summers and an RBI single from Starnes.
However, a four-run bottom of the sixth for the Grizzlies gave them a 10-7 lead and doomed the Quakers. Wilmington had a hit in the seventh but couldn't make a comeback.
Game Two Notables
- Alasandra Spears led Wilmington with two hits.
- Maddie Summers and Spears each had a team-high two RBI.
- Samantha Schwab drew two walks.
- The Quakers had three extra base hits.
- Quakers pitching struck out three Grizzlies.
What's Up Next
Wilmington's next games come in Florida on their spring break trip. They begin their schedule on Sunday, March 10th against Occidental College at 12:30 P.M. and follow it against Albertus Magnus College at 2:40 P.M.
