The inability to come through with the clutch hit was the ultimate downfall for the Wilmington College softball team as the Fightin' Quakers were swept by Ohio Northern Tuesday at the WC Softball Complex. WC had the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh inning in both games.

OHIO NORTHERN 4, WILMINGTON 3

Wilmington had a golden opportunity to at least tie the game as the Fightin' Quakers loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. However, a double play and strike out brought the rally to a halt and WC fell, 4-3, in the first game of the doubleheader.

Senior Jessie Stewart (Fredericktown, OH/Highland) had an RBI double in the first and an RBI single in the third as WC opened up a 2-1 lead. Freshman Allison Pierce (Troy, OH/Troy) pushed the WC lead to 3-1 with a RBI single in the fourth.

However, Ohio Northern got a two-out RBI single to pull to within one, and a two-out, two-run double to take the lead.

Sophomore Savannah Hooper (Leesburg, OH/Wilmington) went 3-for-4 with a double, stolen base and two runs scored. Stewart was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI, while sophomore Whitney Edwards (Frankfort, KY/Franklin County) had a double and run scored.

Sophomore Becca Carpenter, 3-8, (South Charleston, OH/Southeastern) took the loss, allowed four runs – three earned – on seven hits in seven innings of work.

OHIO NORTHERN 3, WILMINGTON 2

After a two-out RBI single by senior Megan Warren (Grove City, OH/Grove City), Wilmington moved the tying run to second base, but couldn't get the equalizer home as the Fightin' Quakers fell 3-2.

Hooper had a one-out single, and moved to second on a two-out stolen base. Stewart kept the inning going with a single, and Warren scored Hooper with a single. However, that would be the end of the rally.

The Polar Bears took the lead with a two-out, two-run home run in the top of the fourth. Wilmington halved its deficit with an unearned run in the fourth.  ONU added an important insurance run, albeit an unearned run, in the top of the sixth.

Stewart and Warren combined for four of WC's five hits in the loss.

Sophomore Beth Persicano, 1-2, (Knoxville, TN/Cincinnati Turpin) continues to pitch well as she yielded just two earned runs, three total, on three hits in seven innings of work.