LYNDHURST, N.J. – Felician University redshirt freshman right fielder Vienna Chierchia (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) was a combined 5 for 6 as the Golden Falcons split a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference softball doubleheader with visiting Wilmington (Del.) University on Saturday afternoon at the Lyndhurst Recreation Complex. Wilmington won Game 1, 11-5, while Felician bounced back to claim game 2, 10-9 in eight innings.

Chierchia produced four extra-base hits on the day. She was on base a total of eight times, drawing three walks. Wilmington senior Annie Davila (Yorba Linda, Calif./Yorba Linda) launched three home runs during the doubleheader.

The day ended on a bases-loaded, one-out fielder's choice grounder by Felician freshman Daisha Howard (Westbury, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) in the bottom of the eighth inning of Game 2. In a back-and-forth affair, the Golden Falcons erased an early 3-0 deficit with a five-run second, using an Alexis Velotta (Menifee, Calif./Paloma Valley) two-run double and a three-run home run by Mia Martinez (Bronx, N.Y./Ursuline Academy).

Ahead, 8-5, the hosts tacked a run in the sixth on a two-out RBI triple by Chierchia. The insurance run proved crucial when Wilmington came all the way back to tie the score, 9-9, in the top of the seventh. After their first two batters were retired, the Wildcats came up with a single and a double. Lauren Lopez (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) brought home both runners with a double, and Davila followed with a first-pitch home run.

In the eighth, Sarah Harrell (Chesapeake, Va./Greenbrier Christian Academy) and Nicole Spiegelberg (Blauvelt, N.Y./Tappan Zee) drew consecutive walks and moved up on a wild pitch. One out later, Chierchia was intentionally passed. Howard then hit a grounder to deep shortstop on which Wilmington could only obtain a force at third, scoring Harrell to end the contest two hours, 33 minutes after the first pitch.

Redshirt freshman right-hander Abby Poirot (Winsted, Conn./St. Paul) (1-4) went the distance in the pitching circle for Felician. She allowed 10 hits, struck out four batters, and walked three. Chierchia had two doubles and a triple and Howard was 2 for 4. Lopez went 3 for 3 with six RBI for Wilmington.

A go-ahead two-run home run by freshman Sara Miller (Clayton, Del./Smyrna) jump-started a seven-run seventh inning for Wilmington, allowing the Wildcats to grab the day's opening game. Felician had scored three runs in the first on a Chierchia two-run double and an RBI single by Krystina Lorch (Hemet, Calif./West Valley), and led, 4-2 after four frames, with both Wildcat runs coming on Davila solo homers.

Wilmington (3-1, 3-1 CACC) outhit the Golden Falcons, 16-5, and had six starters post multi-hit games. Chierchia was 2 for 2 with a double and two walks for Felician.

Felician (3-11, 3-5) is back in CACC action with a road doubleheader against Chestnut Hill College on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.Ch