FT. MYERS, FL – The Wilmington College softball team wrapped up its 10-game Spring Break trip by splitting a pair of games, and finished the trip 4-6.
Freshman Chandler Fields (Delaware, OH/Rutherford B. Hayes) smacked a two-out, two-run single in the top of the tenth inning to provide the margin of victory as the Fightin' Quakers beat the Saints, 4-2, in extra innings.
The inning started with freshman Savannah Hooper (Leesburg, OH/Wilmington) on second base, and she promptly stole third. Following a bunt single by junior Megan Warren (Grove City, OH/Grove City), she stole second to put runners on second and third with no outs.
It looked as if the Saints would wiggle out of trouble as a pop up and strike out brought up the freshman. Fields, who entered the game in the top of the fourth inning, lined the first pitch she saw into the right center field gap for her first two career RBI.
The win allowed freshman Beth Persicano (Knoxville, TN/Cincinnati Turpin) to earn her first win of the season. She allowed just an unearned run on one hit in four innings of relief. Persicano (1-5) pitched well in Florida, leaving the state with a 2.50 ERA.
Starters Kerrie Trautman (Hartville, OH/Field) and Brenna Gilmore were matched in a pitcher's duel through four innings.
Freshman Whitney Edwards (Frankfort, KY/Franklin County) doubled home junior Hilary Daria-White (Felicity, OH/Felicity Franklin) with the game's first run in the fifth inning.
Emmanual got the run back with a two-out infield single. Both teams scored in the eighth inning and failed to score in the ninth before WC took the lead in the tenth.
Hooper, Fields, Daria-White and freshman Emily Smith (Bellbrook, OH/Bellbrook) each had two hits for Wilmington.
The nationally-ranked Monks scored runs in four of the six innings, including a six-run sixth, to record the victory.
Wilmington's only run came in the bottom of the second inning as Daria-White doubled home senior Allie Noggle (Ashville, OH/Teays Valley) to tie the score.
St. Joseph's took the lead for good with three runs in the third inning.
Hooper and Daria-White combined for four of Wilmington's seven hits.
Persicano allowed four earned runs in 3 1/3 innings, while senior Sarah Maraan (Cincinnati, OH/McAuley) surrendered seven earned runs in 1 2/3 innings.
