FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Wilmington College softball team split a pair of games on day two Monday of its spring trip, coming from behind to edge the State University of New York at Brockport 9-8 and falling to Swarthmore College 9-1 in five innings.
In the game one victory, the Fightin’ Quakers got on the board in the first as a Micalah Hensley singled home Savannah Hooper. In the second, Wilmington tacked on two more runs courtesy of a solo home run by Kaylee Barber and a double by Megan Crager, scoring Hooper once again.
The Quakers plated three runs in the fourth on three hits, including an RBI-single by Jillia Cook and two errors to take a 6-0 lead.
SUNY Brockport’s bats game alive in the top of the fifth by loading the bases for cleanup hitter Jessica Koneski, who delivered with grand slam to get the Golden Eagles within 6-4.
Wilmington got one run back in the bottom of the fifth on a double by Crager that scored Hooper. After a scoreless sixth inning from both teams, the Golden Eagles trailed 7-4 entering the top of the seventh.
But SUNY Brockport put four runs on the board to take an 8-7 lead.
Barber led off the WC seventh inning with a single and was bunted to second by Chandler Fields. Hooper then reached on an infield single giving the Quakers runners on the corners with one out.
Barber raced home on the front end of a double steal to tie the game at 8-8. After Bailey Sweeney singled Hooper to third, Cook had the game-winning hit to bring Hooper to the plate and give WC a 9-8 win.
“It was a very exciting game in which both teams played exceptionally well,” Floyd said. “It was great to see our team fight back, never give up and believe in each other.”
Grace Shell pitched four innings for Wilmington as the starter, but Beth Periscano earned the victory pitching three innings of relief.
The Quakers held a 15-14 edge in hits, including a 3-for-5 game from Hooper. Crager, Cook, Barber and Mariyah Burkhardt all recorded multi-hit games with Crager and Cook each driving in two runs.
Koneski finished 4-for-4 with five RBIs and two home runs to lead the Golden Eagles in defeat.
Wilmington will play Edgewood College and Salem State University on Wednesday.
