March 19, 2006
Box Score
Tampa, Fla. - The Ohio softball team used two explosive, single-inning offensive outbursts to defeat Dartmouth 6-1 and Buffalo 13-4 at the Speedline Invitational to climb back to .500 for the season.
The Bobcats wasted no time against Dartmouth, pouncing on the Big Green with six runs in the bottom of the first inning, and that's all they would need. The six-run inning was the biggest scoring frame for Ohio this season at the time but that season-high would soon give way to another against Buffalo.
Debbie Szalejko (Beavercreek, Ohio) led off the inning with a single and scored one batter later when Alicia Catlette (Mogadore, Ohio) deposited her first collegiate home run over the left field wall to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead.
With one out, Shannon Weidner (Pickerington, Ohio) and Emily Futscher (Cincinnati, Ohio) laced consecutive singles, with pinch-runner Danielle Kelley (Franklin, Tenn.) advancing to third on Futscher's single. A Dartmouth passed ball scored Kelley and moved Futscher up to second base. Robin Miller (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) singled in Futscher and Marian Davis (Brighton, Mich.) followed with a single to move pinch-runner Kristen Salvatore (Kirtland, Ohio) to third.
After Davis stole second base to put runners on second and third, Amanda Sacks (Chugiak, Alaska) knocked in her first two runs of the year to give the Bobcats a 6-0 lead. And that is all Ohio starter Michelle Sauter (Chehalis, Wash.) would need.
Sauter pitched a complete game three-hitter, allowing only one earned run while striking out seven. It was the fourth complete game on the season for Sauter. Catlette and Sacks led the offense with two runs batted in each.
The Bobcat offense was far from done as it tallied a season-high 13 runs in the tourney finale against Mid-American Conference member Buffalo. The 13 Bobcat runs are the most in a game for Ohio in over two years. The Bobcats defeated St. Bonaventure 14-7 March 13, 2004.
Ohio did most of its damage with a nine-spot in the top of the second inning. The nine-run inning is the most in an inning for the Bobcats since they put up 10 runs in the third inning of a 15-2 defeat of Dayton April 21, 2003.
Davis started the rally with a one-out single and advanced to second on a passed ball. The Bobcats then proceeded to score all nine runs with two outs. Sacks plated the first run with a single to center and scored on a Szalejko double to give Ohio a 2-0 edge. Catlette followed with a double of her own, scoring Szalejko, and moved to third on the throw. After a Kelly Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) walk, Weidner singled home Catlette with Rodriguez advancing to third.
Futscher and Miller both walked with Rodriguez scoring on a wild pitch to give the Bobcats a 5-0 lead. Davis took care of the rest, clearing the bases with a grand slam to left field. The long ball marks Davis' first career grand slam and the first from a Bobcat since Miller connected against Marshall April 16, 2005.
The Bobcats tallied two more runs in the third and sixth innings. Sacks led off the third with a single and moved to third on Szalejko's second double of the game. Catlette plated Sacks with a single and Szalejko later scored on a Buffalo error.
Ohio loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the sixth. Miller was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning with Davis and Sauter both drawing walks. Sacks singled to score pinch runner Maureen McKelvey (Stow, Ohio) and Szalejko followed with an RBI single to right to score Davis and conclude the Bobcat scoring.
Sauter earned the win for Ohio, allowing no earned runs on five hits over 4 2/3 innings, to improve to 4-3 on the year.
Five Bobcats recorded multi-hit games, led by Catlette. The sophomore second baseman went 4-for-5, including her first career home run, with two RBI and a run scored. Szalejko and Sacks posted identical lines of 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored while Davis went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and four runs batted in.
Ohio continues to hover around the .500 mark for the season, going 3-3 at the Speedline Invitation to move to 12-12 on the year.
The Bobcats will waste little time getting back on the field, competing in the Rebel Games Monday through Wednesday. Ohio will square off against Dartmouth for the second time in two days tomorrow at 4:10 p.m. and will conclude the day with a 6 p.m. game against Vermont.
