Posted: Apr 10, 2022
WILMINGTON, Ohio - The Wilmington College softball team rebounded from five-inning, 16-4 defeat in game one to earn an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) series split with John Carroll University on Sunday by winning the nightcap 5-4 on a walk-off double in the bottom of the 12th inning.
In game one, Wilmington struggled defensively from the start, committing an error in each of the first two innings. The result was JCU scored three unearned runs. The Quakers did, however, keep pace as a two-RBI single down the left field line off the bat of Lizz Hadley scored Lindsey Carter and Hayley Suchland in the first and an RBI-single up the middle from Judaea Wilson in the second.
With the game tied 3-3 after two complete, JCU kept up the offensive pressure. The Blue Streaks used two more Quaker errors to go along with five hits to plate six runs in the third. Wilmington got the bases loaded in the bottom of the third, but a three-pitch strikeout ended the threat. The very next half-inning, the visitors put the game away with a five-run inning on a single hit and one more WC error.
Danielle Orendi earned the five-inning victory, scattering seven hits and four runs with four strikeouts. Izzy Rothrock dipped to 1-4 on the season, allowing six runs (only one earned) on six hits with three walks in two-plus innings pitched. Hillary Huffer and Hannah Hall also pitched for WC in relief.
Offensively, a quartet of Blue Streaks – Gracie Broussard, Gabby Hougan, Mallory Stonebraker and Crista – all had multi-hit games while Kendall Trunzo had a single hit and three RBIs. For Wilmington, the top three in the order – Wilson, Carter and Suchland – accounted for five of the squad's seven hits.
In the nightcap, Wilmington struck for three runs in the bottom of the first has Wilson and Carter set the table for Suchland and Hadley, who plated three runs on a JCU error and a fielder's choice groundout. The hosts looked to break open an even bigger inning, but freshman starter Brianna Callow struck out two to end the inning.
Callow would then settle in, stranding two hits to lead-off the second and not allowing another run for the next two innings. In the meantime, the Blue Streaks loaded the bases in the fourth with no outs, but were held to just a single run as some fantastic defense from Carter in left and Suchland at shortstop minimized the damage. The Blue Streak would get within a single run with another RBI-single in the top of the fifth, but Claire Scully got the run back for the Quakers in the bottom of the inning, doubling down the left field line scoring Rachel Berry.
Unfortunately for WC, that would be the last time it would score on Callow for six innings. JCU, with Carter relieving starter Alexis Stringfellow to begin the sixth, tied the game with a two-run seventh. The Blue Streaks nearly took the lead in the eighth, but were punished for being a bit too aggressive on the base paths. Kendall Trunzo doubled to left center to open the inning, but was thrown out at third attempting to stretch the hit into a triple. JCU would surely have scored that run as two hits followed, but the inning ended when Wilson snatched a line drive at the hot corner.
Wilmington's best chance to score in extra innings came in the bottom of the ninth as Wilson beat out a throw on a single deep in the hole between third base and shortstop. Carter bunted her over into scoring position, but Suchland and Hadley were unable to drive in the winning run as two groundouts ended the inning.
In the 11th, the first two Blue Streak reached base, but a flyout and strikeout were followed by a stolen base, setting up two runners in scoring position. Trunzo couldn't deliver, however, as Carter struck her out. In the bottom of the inning, Logann Julian walked marking Callow's first free pass of the game, but after a strikeout, Carter lined into a double play.
The Clinton-Massie High School alumna sat down the Blue Streak in order in the 12th, however, and a one-out single from Lizz Hadley set the table for McKenna Archey, who stepped in the batter's box 0-for-5 on the day. The sophomore battled, fouling off six pitchers before driving a ball past the diving glove of Gracie Bressoud in left center field for the walk-off hit.
Carter earned her second win of the season in relief, throwing 74 strikes on 104 pitches in seven innings of work. Stringfellow, who received a no-decision, threw 95 pitches in five innings. Both Quaker pitchers allowed two earned runs. Callow pitched valiantly for JCU, throwing 110 strikes on 171 pitches to dip to 3-3 on the season. The freshman struck out eight with just two walks.
Offensively, Wilson finished 3-for-6 while Hadley, Scully and Julian all had multi-hit games. Bressoud led the Blue Streaks with a 3-for-5 performance with two walks in defeat.
Wilmington (9-7, 3-3 OAC) continued its pattern of rebounding from a game-one defeat to win the nightcap of an OAC twinbill. The Quakers continue their conference slate on Tuesday (note the change) against Marietta College. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
