WILMINGTON — The Wilmington College baseball team split a doubleheader with Olivet College on Monday with the Comets winning game one 14-5 and the Fightin’ Quakers taking game two 18-8 in seven innings.
In game one, Caleb Scott gave the hosts a 2-0 lead with a moon shot to center field in the bottom of the first, but Olivet answered with a solo home run in the second and a two-run shot in the fourth that spurred a four-run inning. Trailing 5-2, a sacrifice fly from Moses Garza got WC within two runs, but a five-run top of the fifth inning for the Comets put the game out of reach.
Brendan Redding improved to 2-1 on the season with an eight-inning outing, scattering nine hits and three walks and allowing four earned runs. Austin Christman, Wilmington’s starter, dipped to 1-2 allowing nine earned runs on seven hits with six strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched.
The top of the Quakers’ lineup did the damage offensively as Tyler Shaneyfelt, Evan Kelsey, Jesse Reliford and Scott all had two hits. Shaneyfelt hit a double and stole a base, Kelsey stole two bases and Jared Lammert hit a triple.
Game two began just like game one with Wilmington scoring in the bottom of the first. A double steal from Kelsey and Shaneyfelt got things going, and an RBI-groundout from Reliford and an RBI-single from Lammert gave the hosts a 3-0 lead. The Comets got a run back in the third, but the Quakers, just like the Comets did on Sunday, blew the game wide open with two big innings.
The fourth inning saw eight Quakers come to the plate. Six of them reached base via hits including RBI-knocks from Scott, Dominic Depa, Garza and Jacob Feltner. Up 8-2, Starter David Ernst stranded a one-out single in the top of the six, and Wilmington put together another six-hit inning in the bottom of the sixth. This one scored six runs to extend the host’s advantage to 14-2.
Wilmington 20 hits in the victory with seven Quakers tallying multi-hit contests. Scott went 4-for-4 with three doubles and four runs scoring batting cleanup while Lammert went 3-for-4 with a double, triple and six RBIs. Reliford and Shaneyfelt also reached base three times via a hit with the later stealing three bases.
The Quakers (8-6) head to Franklin College on Wednesday (note the day change). First pitch is slated for 7 p.m.
Softball
drops 2
FORT MYERS, Florida – The Wilmington College softball team, after an early morning of travel, fell to Kenyon College 10-1 in six innings and to State University of New York (SUNY) at Brockport 8-6 on the first day of the Fightin’ Quakers’ annual spring trip to Florida on Monday.
In game one, the Ladies, who entered the game 12-1 overall, opened up the contest with three straight singles with the final one coming off the bat of Emma Buckwalter that plated two runs. The Quakers got one run back in the bottom half of the inning as Bailey Hypes walked to open the frame and Hayley Suchland singled to right center. The two then executed a double steal to perfection with Suchland taking second and Hypes scoring.
Both starting pitchers – Izzy Rockroth for Wilmington and Nicole Bishay for Kenyon – settled in after the first inning. The Ladies got a runner in scoring position in the second and fifth innings while the Quakers had chances to drive in runs in both the third and fourth innings. Unfortunately for Wilmington, things unraveled in the top of the sixth. Lindsey Carter, who relieved Rockroth to begin the inning, looked to strand runners and second and third with a strikeout, but the ball was dropped. What followed – three hits, three walks and two hits by pitch – effectively ended the contest.
Rockroth took the loss, despite allowing just two earned runs in five innings with three strikeouts while Bishay earned the complete-game victory striking out three with two walks and two hits. Offensively, Suchland and Judaea Wilson had the Quakers’ hits while Bishay and Sara Campagna had multi-hit games for the Ladies.
In game two, Brockport plated four runs including a three-run home run in the third, but Wilmington began to chip away as Arianna Layne doubled home Wilson in the third. In the fourth, it was Wilson’s turn to drive in a run as she doubled to left center scoring Rachel Berry and Andrea Edmisten. Trailing 4-3, the Quakers’ offense stayed hot in the sixth, as three hits and a Brockport error plated three runs for a 6-4 lead.
The Golden Eagles regained the lead in the top of the sixth with three unearned runs including two wild pitches. Brockport added an insurance run in the top of the seventh.
Alexis Stringfellow dipped to 0-2 on the season, scattering nine hits with six strikeouts and four earned runs in 5.2 innings. Carter finished the game, surrendering a single run and tallying four outs. Hali Jenner earned the win for the Golden Eagles in relief, allowing two hits with two strikeouts in 2.2 innings.
Offensively, Wilson went 4-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored while Carter also had three hits. Cameryn Duggan had a three-hit game for Brockport while Annie Dipirro hit the three-run bomb.
Lacrosse
downed
HANOVER, Ind. – On a sunny Monday afternoon, the Wilmington College men’s lacrosse team fell to Hanover College by a final score of 21-2.
The scoring got started early as Hanover scored their first goal of the game after three minutes. The rest of the first quarter was all Hanover as they scored six unanswered goals and went into the first quarter break leading 6-0.
In a near repeat of the first quarter Hanover again found the back of the net six times in the quarter. Wilmington’s Reed Beavers was able to break the shutout late in the second with his first goal of the season. At the half the score was 12-1 in favor of Hanover College.
Wilmington would concede another nine goals in the second half. Brock Fugate scored his first goal of the season late in the third quarter.
Up next, Wilmington will travel to Tennessee Wesleyan university on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Durr 11th,
Shuga 18th
WINSTON SALEM, N.C. – Wilmington College freshman JJ Durr and senior Joe Shuga both finished in the top 20 Friday at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship meet.
Weight throw was on day one of the two-day event. Durr finished 11th in the country after a first flight throw of 58-45.5. The freshman finished off his first collegiate indoor season among the best of the best.
“JJ had a phenomenal indoor freshman season,” WC head coach Ron Combs said. “The experience he had this year at indoor nationals will definitely benefit him down the road.”
Shuga finished the day in 18th place with a throw of 55-7.5. After an amazing senior indoor season, Shuga winds down with a top 20 finish.
“Joe had a great season in the weight throw,” said Combs. “Making it to nationals for the indoor was a great accomplishment. He tweaked his ankle in practice and it was bothering him.”
Wilmington will take a few weeks off and start the outdoor season at Cedarville University at the end of the month.
