NAPLES, Fla. — The Wilmington College softball team continued its trend of splitting games at the 2016 Gene Cusic Classic Wednesday at the North Collier Softball Complex. Wilmington claimed the first game, 5-4, and then lost the second game, 2-1.

The Fightin’ Quakers survived a late Vikings charge as freshman Megan Joyner came on to get the final two outs to seal the win over Bethany Lutheran.

Wilmington took the lead in the top of the first inning as sophomore Savannah Hooper scored on a sacrifice fly by senior Jessie Stewart.

Once again Hooper was in the middle of a rally as she kicked off the fifth with a single and stole second. Stewart drew an bases-loaded walk and Warren smacked a two-run double to push the lead to 4-0.

Hooper finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Warren was 2-for-4 with three RBI, a double and homerun.

Carpenter (2-1) was cruising through six innings as for the second time this season she was limiting an opponent to just one hit. She finished with four earned runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings with five strikeouts.

In a closely contested game, the outcome ultimately came down to a couple pitches as Wilmington fell to Clark, 2-1.

A one-out single by Hooper and a two-out single by pinch hitter Chandler Fields pumped some life into the Wilmington dugout. Hooper came around to score WC’s first run, scoring from second on an error by the third baseman.

Wilmington threatened in the seventh as sophomore Whitney Edwards drew a one-out walk and sophomore Kerrie Trautman singled. A sacrifice bunt by freshman Taylor Hill put the tying run on third for the team’s leading hitter. However, a bang-bang play at first on a grounder ended the game.

Hooper finished with two of Wilmington’s five hits, going 2-for-4 with a stolen base.

Joyner (1-2) allowed two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings on seven hits and five strikeouts.