ROCK HILL, S.C. ? After gaining just a pair of victories over the first two weeks of the season, the Ohio softball team won both of its contests in the opening day of the Ringor Invitational, defeating South Carolina State 3-0 and Western Illinois 9-8.

Ohio 9, Western Illinois 8
After taking the afternoon contest with SCSU, the Bobcats (4-9) came out victorious in an eight-inning thriller in the nightcap with Western Illinois. Trailing 7-0 at one point, Ohio tied the score in the sixth and won it in the eighth when pinch hitter Nikki Brooks (Chillicothe, Ohio) drew a bases loaded walk to plate the winning run.

?That was the hardest-fought game we have played this year, and maybe in the last two years,? said Bobcat Head Coach Roanna Brazier. ?We came right back and didn?t let things snowball.?

The Westerwinds (3-6) got off to a fast start, scoring three runs in both the first and second innings, then added another tally in the third. Down 7-0, the Bobcats slowly began to dig their way back into the contest. They answered in the bottom of the third with a two-out single by Shannon Weidner (Canal Winchester, Ohio) to get things started. Pinch runner Kristen Salvatore (Kirtland, Ohio) then stole second base and Jennifer Tisevich (Canton, Ohio) singled through the left side to plate the lead runner for Ohio?s first run.

With Ohio reliever Natalie Armstrong (Murrysville, Pa) keeping the Western offense in check, the Bobcats would add two runs in the fifth and four in the sixth to pull even. Tisevich?s sacrifice fly scored Marian Davis (Brighton, Mich.), who started things off with a single, and then Emily Futscher's (Cincinnati, Ohio) infield single pushed home Kelly Rodriguez for the Bobcats? third run of the game.

The most damage would be done in the sixth, however, all with two outs. After the first two Ohio hitters were retired, five-successive batters reached base and four came across the plate. Pinch hitter Cathy Walters (Chandler, Ariz.) singled to left, Davis followed with an RBI double, Rodriguez drew a walk, Weidner singled up the middle for an RBI, and then a two-run triple by Tisevich completed the comeback, tying the score at 7-7.

Neither team scored in their final regulation at-bat to send the game to extras. Western Illinois wasted no time getting on the board as two sacrifice fly balls scored the lead-off runner, Jennifer Garcia, to take the lead. However, the Bobcats would make noise of their own in the bottom half of the eighth.

With Davis the lead-off runner on, Weidner tripled to the right field corner to knot the score at 8-8 with only one out. Walks to Tisevich and Miller, sandwiched around a strikeout, set the stage for Brooks? winning walk. Taking on a full count, Brooks? patience brought home Weidner for the winning run.

Candace Warden (Hagerstown, Md.) earned the victory in relief, throwing two innings of no-hit ball with three strikeouts to move to 2-0 on the year. Karenmarie Pena (2-4) took the loss after throwing all eight innings for Western Illinois.

?The fact that the full team fought back, not just one or two people, overall we are very proud,? Brazier said. ?Our bench contributed with pinch hits and pinch runs, and our relief pitcher came in and did their job.?

The contests was the first-ever between Ohio and Western Illinois, and the first between Brazier and softball coaching icon Kathy Veroni, who is set to retire after this, her 34th season at the helm.

?I?ve been waiting for this opportunity (to face Veroni) pretty much all of my coaching career,? said Brazier. ?What a legend and great coach she is. The opportunity to be able to play against her and watch and learn, and win, was just awesome.?

Ohio 3, South Carolina State 0
On the strength of Kerri Harley's (Hickory Hills, Ill.) right arm, the Bobcats took its first game of the Ringor Invitational by the score of 3-0 over South Carolina State Friday afternoon.

Harley (1-3) went the distance for Ohio and allowed the Bulldogs just one hit while recording 12 strikeouts to earn her first victory of the season. In all, she retired 21 of the 25 batters she faced.

?Anytime you can throw 12 strikeouts, that?s quite a feat,? said Brazier. ?I was really proud of her, she needed a good outing.?

The Bobcats were held to just five hits themselves, but plated single runs in the second, fourth, and fifth innings.

Miller got things started in the second inning with a lead-off single to right-center and advanced to second on a SCSU (4-12) wild pitch. Maghan Lunsford (Centerville, Ohio) then doubled down the left field line to score Miller for what proved to be the winning run.

In the Ohio fourth, with Harley in second and Salvatore on first, Maureen McKelvey (Stow, Ohio) put the second Bobcat run on the board with a double down the left field line to plate Harley.

The Bobcats would close out the scoring with another tally in the bottom of the fifth as Tisevich came home after a dropped throw at first base allowed Futscher to reach.

The Bobcats will close out pool play on Saturday with contests against St. John's (noon) and host Winthrop (4 p.m.) before the tournament wraps with Sunday's championship rounds.