PHOTOS - LESLEY | WESTFIELD STATE
NAPLES, Florida – The Wilmington College softball team defeated Lesley University (Massachusetts) 3-0 and Westfield State University (Massachusetts) 6-4 on the final day of the Quakers' spring trip on Thursday. WC finished the trip with an 8-2 record with both losses coming on walk-off hits by a single run.
In the victory over Lesley, Alexis Stringfellow hurled a shutout in 98 pitches and allowed just six hits with five of them coming in the first three innings. The Lynx got multiple runners via singles in both the second and third innings, but a runner was caught stealing to end the second and a flyout finished the third inning.
The Quaker offense scored in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly from Samantha Schwab that scored Logann Julian and added another in the second as McKenna Archey found grass down the left field line that scored Rachel Berry. Stringfellow retired Lesley in order in the fourth, and she was rewarded with another insurance run in the bottom of the inning. Archey reached base for the second time via a base hit, and Riley Truesdale, who pinch ran for the junior, scored on an error.
That would be the rest of the scoring in the contest as Stringfellow pitched around an error and walk in the fifth, a single in the sixth and retire the Lynx in order in the seventh.
The victory was Stringfellow's first of the season while Samantha Mecklenburg dipped to 0-1 on the year with the loss allowing eight hits over six innings.
Wilmington outhit Lesley 8-6 and had the only extra-base hit of the game, a double off the bat of Lindsey Carter in the first. Carter and Archey both finished 2-for-3 for the Quakers while Antonia Kieran went 2-for-3 for Lesley.
In the triumph over the Owls, strung together five consecutive singles from Rachel Berry, Olivia Doll, Mollie Moore, Judaea Wilson and Julian followed by a fielder's choice RBI from Carter to build a 3-0 in the second. Westfield State answered with a run in the second, but WC starter Izzy Rothrock stranded two runners in scoring position with a strikeout.
The Quakers added one more run in the fourth and Wilson lined a double down the left field line, her fourth hit of the game, to plate two runs with two outs in the top of the sixth. Trailing 6-1, the Owls' offense came to life on WC pitcher Avree Entler, who relieved Rothrock to begin the third. Westfield State plated two runs on five hits in the frame. It may have been more, but Entler and her defense recorded consecutive outs with the bases loaded. A fielder's choice to the pitcher got the lead runner at home plate and Carter ended the inning with a diving catch in foul territory.
The Owls ended the top of the sixth with a rare 1-6-4-3 double play at scored a run in the bottom half as a lead-off walk came around to score. Entler wouldn't allow another run, however, and the Quakers secured the victory.
Wilson finished 4-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored while Berry added two hits and two runs scored. Seven other Quakers finished with a hit. Sarah Bingham led Westfield State with two hits in defeat.
Wilmington (8-4) will return to action on Wednesday, March 22, for its home-opener against Bluffton University. First pitch from the WC Softball Complex is slated for 3 p.m.
