Softball Falls Twice at Winthrop
Bobcats lose decisions to St. John?s, Winthrop on second day of invitational
Contact: Jason Cunningham
3/12/2005
 Ohio's Jenny Tisevich reached base three times and drove in a run against Winthrop. |
ROCK HILL, S.C. ? After taking two victories on the first day of the Ringor Invitational on Friday, the Bobcats fell to St. John?s and tourney host Winthrop on Saturday by scores of 12-2 and 6-5, respectively.
Winthrop 6, Ohio 5 (10 inn.)
The second of Ohio?s two tests on the second day, the Bobcats (4-11) and Winthrop (16-12) engaged in a classic see-saw battle that couldn?t be decided in seven innings. With the score tied at the end of the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings, the Eagles finally came out on top with a run in the 10th to survive with a 6-5 victory.
The Eagles got on the board first, plating two runs in the top of the second to take an early advantage on Ohio starter Zoe Heim (Ann Arbor, Mich.). In one of the deciding factors in the contest, the Bobcats got runners on in each of the first five innings, but were never able to cross home plate. The first good opportunity Ohio had to get on the board came in the bottom of the fourth as walks to Jennifer Tisevich (Canton, Ohio) and Marian Davis (Brighton, Mich.) and a single by Miller loaded the bases. Winthrop hurler Shahna Ashard was able to escape the threat, however, as she caught Courtney Walters looking for a strikeout with the bases loaded.
The Bobcats stranded two more runners in the fifth before finally breaking through on Ashard for three runs in the sixth. With two outs, Robin Miller (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) and Davis on with walks, Kelly Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) doubled to left field to tie the score a 2-2. Maureen McKelvey (Stow, Ohio) promptly followed with a double down the right field line to bring home Rodriguez for the 3-2 lead.
The lead didn?t hold up long, however, as Winthrop rallied in the top of the seventh with two runs to regain the lead 4-3. After the first two Winthrop batters reached, Ohio?s Kerri Harley (Hickory Hills, Ill.) was able to record successive outs, but Lindsey Merriman singled up the middle to score both runners to regain the lead.
The scoring drama was far from over though, as pinch hitter Michelle Sauter (Chehlais, Wash.) singled to left center in the bottom of the seventh to bring home Miller for the tying score at 4-4. Winthrop promptly took the lead right back in their half of the eighth, scoring the lead-off runner to make it 5-4.
With Rodriguez placed on second in Ohio?s half of the eighth, McKelvey drew a walk. After Shannon Weidner grounded out, Tisevich singled up the middle to score Rodriguez, but the potential winning run, McKelvey, was thrown out at the plate.
After both teams went in order in the ninth inning, Winthrop drove home lead-off runner Kjersti Johnson for the winning run. Johnson would earn the victory in relief for the Eagles after she set Ohio down in order to close out the 10th.
Natalie Armstrong (Murrysville, Pa) took the loss for the Bobcats after throwing three innings of one-hit ball in relief. McKelvey finished with two hits and Rodriguez recorded a pair of RBIs to lead the Ohio offensive effort.
St. John?s 12, Ohio 2
In the first game of the day, the St. John?s batters hit Bobcat pitching early and often to build a 7-0 after the first three innings and an 11-2 advantage after four. Unlike the night before, however, Ohio was never able to recover from a large early deficit against the Red Storm.
Six of the first seven St. John?s runners reached on Bobcat starter Sauter (0-4) in the second inning as the Red Storm (9-10) plated three runs. Ohio answered with a single tally in the bottom half of the inning as a Sauter single up the middle brought home Emily Futscher (Cincinnati, Ohio) to cut the lead to 3-1.
The St. John?s lineup got right back after it in the top of the third, opening with three-straight singles. With a run in and two on, Christina Tucker homered to left field to put the Red Storm up 7-1 and chase Ohio?s Sauter.
Ohio would once again put a run on the board in the bottom of the third on an Futscher single to left that brought home Rodriguez, but it would prove to be too little too late.
The Red Storm got four runs on three hits in the fourth inning to seal the deal. A three-run round-tripper by Jo Sherlock and a solo shot from Jillian Sandoval pushed the St. John?s advantage to 11-2. A final tally in the top of the fifth supplied the final score of 12-2.
Sauter took the loss for the Bobcats. She was credited with four earned runs on eight hits through two innings of work. Armstrong and Harley combined for three innings of work out of the bullpen and allowed five earned runs on five hits.
St. John?s starter Brittany Crouch (3-3) scattered five hits and one earned run over three innings to get the victory.
Futscher was the only Bobcat to register a multiple-hit game, going 2-for-2 at the plate.
Sunday?s Schedule
Ohio will face East Tennessee State (8-12) at 9 a.m., Sunday morning in the championship round. The winner of that match-up will face the winner between Furman and Oakland to close out the tournament at 1 p.m.
