The Wellington High School softball team hosted Royal Palm Beach High School and defeated the Wildcats 4-3 on Wednesday, March 27. The victory marked the second win over Royal Palm Beach for the Wolverines.
Wellington (10-1) led 2-0 through to the sixth inning, but the Wildcats (9-5) clawed back, putting runners on first and second in the top of the sixth. Nicole Hayslip drilled a line-drive down the third base line to send in the first Wildcat score to close the gap to 2-1.
Royal Palm Beach loaded the bases, continuing to pressure the Wellington defense. Susannah Classen hit a two-run single to lift the Wildcats into the lead for the first time in the game 3-2. Wellington pitcher Kate DeSimone notched two strikeouts in the inning to help close down the Royal Palm Beach comeback, but the Wolverines trailed 3-2 going into the bottom of the sixth inning.
Cat Glenn started the Wolverine rally with a line drive at the Royal Palm Beach shortstop, and Glenn’s speed beat the throw to first base.
The next Wellington batter was walked, putting Wolverines on first and second. Sarah Longley struck a one-run double for Wellington to tie the game at three with one out. Raegan Conley next hit a deep ball in center field, allowing the Wolverine runner on third to tag up. The play pushed Wellington back into the lead 4-3 going into the final inning.
Wellington’s defense did just enough to shut down any threat of the Wildcats orchestrating a second rally, ending the game in the top of the seventh inning.
DeSimone played a complete game, had 10 strikeouts and gave up three hits for the Wolverines. Longley and Conley each had a one-run RBI, and Conley was two-for-three at the plate. Kayla Bruno pitched a complete game for the Wildcats and recorded four strikeouts.
