(WILMINGTON, Ohio) – The Wilmington College softball team played their first games at home this afternoon at the WC Softball Complex against Earlham College. The Quakers swept Earlham in their doubleheader, 11-3 and 10-2.
Samantha Schwab had another incredible day at the plate this afternoon, collecting four hits and bashing three homeruns while driving in nine runs. As a team, the Quakers collected 21 hits over the two games and have now won seven games in a row. Heading into Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play Friday afternoon, Wilmington sits at 10-5-1 overall.
Game One – Wilmington defeats Earlham, 11-3 (6 innings)
The Quakers jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. It started with a Kori Cornett walk and a Jocelyn Franz single down the left field line to place runners at first and second with no outs. Judaea Wilson followed with a double to left center field to score Cornett and Franz and make it 2-0. Samantha Schwab then hit the first of her three homeruns on the day, roping one over the left center field fence to push the score to 4-0. Maddie Summers doubled after the homerun, and she would eventually score on an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 5-0.
Earlham cut the lead to 5-3 with a trio of runs in the top of the third inning. The Quakers scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning off a Franz RBI single into left field and a Wilson RBI groundout, making the score 7-3.
After two outs to start the bottom of the sixth frame, Wilmington wouldn't make another out for the remainder of the contest. Cornett singled off the pitcher's glove before Franz drove her in a with a double down the left field line. Wilson followed this with a double off the center field fence to bring in Franz. Schwab ended the game in a run-rule with a no doubter two-run homerun over the left field fence.
Game One Notables
- For the second time this season, Samantha Schwab hit multiple homeruns in a game, after blasting three against Susquehanna University on March 14th. She had two hits and four RBI.
- Judaea Wilson also had two hits and drove in four runs for the Quakers.
- Jocelyn Franz went 3-3 in the game and drove in two runs.
- Kori Cornett collected a pair of hits at the top of the lineup for Wilmington.
- Aiyana Hancock struck out six batters in her six-inning, complete game performance in the circle.
- The Quakers had seven extra-base hits in the game.
Game Two – Wilmington defeats Earlham, 10-2 (6 innings)
The Quakers got off to a hot start, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Wilmington had runners at second and third with one out, before Samantha Schwab hit another homerun off Earlham pitching, a three-run shot to right center field to give the Quakers a 3-0 lead.
Earlham answered with two runs in the top of the second and Wilmington answered right back with two in the bottom of the frame. Kori Cornett had an RBI fielder's choice and Jocelyn Franz hit an RBI single up the middle to extend the lead to 5-2.
The Quakers plated two more in the bottom of the third, making it 7-2. They took advantage of a few Earlham miscues in the second and third innings, with two of their four runs scored in those frames being unearned.
Wilmington had a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth inning. Franz reached via catcher's interference after Rachel Berry walked to begin the inning. Judaea Wilson followed with a walk to load the bases and Schwab plated a pair of runs with a single into right field to push the score to 9-2. Earlham made a pair of errors in the final inning, which allowed Wilmington to score one more run and win the game with a run-rule.
Game Two Notables
- Samantha Schwab led Wilmington with two hits and five RBI in the game.
- Kori Cornett, Jocelyn Franz, and Chloe Dorn all had a single run batted in.
- Hillary Huffer threw five innings and allowed two unearned runs while striking out one batter.
What's Up Next
Wilmington begins OAC play Friday afternoon at home against the Baldwin Wallace University Yellow Jackets with a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 P.M.
