Columbia
UNC Wilmington
Eighth-Inning Walk-Off Leads UNC Wilmington To 4-2 Win Over Columbia
3/17/2016 10:38:00 AM | Softball
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Despite 10 hits by the Columbia offense, it was a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth that lifted UNC Wilmington (17-9) to a 4-2 victory over Columbia (3-13) on Thursday night. The Lions combined for 10 hits on the evening with eight of their starting nine players picking up a base hit in the loss.
After being held scoreless over the first two innings, Reilly Metzger was able to get things going in the top of the third with a one-out single up the middle before Taylor Troutt could drive her in on a RBI single into center to put Columbia on the board first.
The Seahawks responded in the bottom half of the frame, however, as Hannah Adamczyk sent a two-out RBI double off the foot of a sliding Maura Lynch in the left-center gap, tying the game at 1-1 heading into the fourth.
Columbia responded back immediately in the next inning behind a one-out double by Maura Lynch to get things going. With the help of a walk to Tonia Wu, The Lions were able to grab the lead on a RBI double by Kerry Cook before the Seahawks could end the inning on a relay throw home, snagging Wu at the plate to keep the game at 2-1 after three and a half innings of play.
With Columbia still holding on to a 2-1 lead, the Seahawks began to fight back in the bottom of the sixth as they took advantage of a Columbia error to put a runner on base. After a base hit to put runners on the corners, Lacey Fox was able to tie the game up at 2-2 with a RBI double off the left-field wall.
Faced with two on and one out, the Columbia defense stepped things up as Taylor Troutt fielded a grounder at second and threw the ball home to cut the run off at the plate. After a throw back down to second to try and get the runner advancing, Maddie Gott was able to cut the throw off and fire home for the out to complete the double play and keep the game tied at 2-2.
Still knotted up in the bottom of the eighth, Merritt Wilkinson was able to lead things off with a double to the fence in right center before Hannah Adamczyk could send her first career home run over the left-field fence, giving the Seahawks a 4-2 walk-off win.
Peyton Jordan (8-2) earned the win after throwing 2.0 innings of scoreless relief, allowing only two hits while striking out three. Kayla Maloney (0-2) took the loss after throwing all seven innings for the Lions, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while striking out a pair.
Maura Lynch (2-for-3) and Reilly Metzger (2-for-4) each picked up a pair of hits on the evening while Tonia Wu finished the game 1-for-1 and picked up the team's only walk.
The Lions will round out the three-game set with the Seahawks on Friday, March 18, with a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m.
