(DELAWARE, Ohio) – The Wilmington College softball team won their fifth straight game Monday afternoon, 7-4, in game one of a doubleheader with the Ohio Wesleyan University Battling Bishops. They turned around in game two and tied 5-5 after five innings due to darkness.
Samantha Schwab led the Quakers at the plate with three runs batted in (RBI) over the two games. Wilmington had three players with multiple hits during the first contest. The Quakers improve their record to 8-5-1 overall this season and will open up at home Wednesday afternoon against Earlham College.
Game One – Wilmington defeats Ohio Wesleyan, 7-4
The Quakers didn't waste any time getting on the board in the first inning. Kori Cornett started the game with a single up the middle and would steal second base to get into scoring position. Wilmington made a pair of outs, before a big two out Samantha Schwab single got the Quakers on the board. After a Maddie Summers walk, Claire Scully roped a single into left center field to give Wilmington a 2-0 advantage.
The Battling Bishops scored a single run in the first and second innings to tie the game at 2-2. The third inning brought along two more runs for Wilmington. Schwab walked to start the inning before an out was made. A double to right center field from Scully put runners in scoring position. Another out followed, but Rachel Berry hit a clutch two-out, two-RBI single up the middle for a 4-2 lead.
Jocelyn Franz started the fourth inning with a single and Judaea Wilson followed with a double to left field to bring home Franz and extend the Quakers lead to 5-2. The Battling Bishops cut the lead to one at 5-4 after scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Wilmington was able to put the game out of reach in the top of the sixth with two more runs. The first two Quakers reached on an error and a bunt base hit, and a stolen base put runners at second and third with no one out. A Franz sacrifice bunt scored the first run before Wilson hit a sacrifice fly to plate the other run and push the lead to 7-4. Laney Starbuck shut the door on Ohio Wesleyan over the final two innings as Wilmington won the game.
Game One Notables
- Kori Cornett, Claire Scully, and Rachel Berry all had two hits in the game.
- Berry and Judaea Wilson both had two RBI.
- Cornett and Samantha Schwab scored a pair of runs.
- Cornett stole two bases while Scully stole one.
- Laney Starbuck picked up her second save over the last two games, throwing 2.1 innings in the circle while only allowing one hit.
Game Two – Wilmington ties Ohio Wesleyan, 5-5 due to darkness (5 innings)
Just like game one, the Quakers plated a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. The first two batters reached and a ground out advanced them to second and third with one out. Samantha Schwab brought in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly before Maddie Summers reached on an error, allowing the second run to score. Ohio Wesleyan answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at 2-2.
Wilmington scored two more runs in the second inning on a throwing error and a ground out to push their lead to 4-2 before the Battling Bishops scored one run in the second to make it 4-3. The fourth inning brought along Wilmington's final run of the day in the form of a two-out RBI double from Schwab to extend their lead to 5-3. Ohio Wesleyan tied it in the bottom of the fourth with two runs. Neither team scored in the fifth inning before the game was called due to darkness.
Game Two Notables
- Six Quakers had one hit in the game.
- Samantha Schwab had a pair of RBI, and Jocelyn Franz had one.
- Hillary Huffer struck out one batter over her five innings in the circle.
What's Up Next
Wilmington has their first games at the Wilmington College Softball Complex Wednesday afternoon in the Quaker Bowl against Earlham College. It's a doubleheader with first pitch slated for 3:00 P.M.
