March 20, 2006
Orlando, Fla. - The Ohio softball team carried its offensive momentum over from yesterday's action, downing Dartmouth 9-0 and Vermont 8-0 at the Rebel Games, to match its season-long win streak of four games.
The Bobcats used an explosive offensive and quality pitching to outscore Dartmouth and Vermont by a combined score of 17-0 and outhit the Big Green and Catamounts 17-3. Ohio's 36 runs over the last four games marks the highest four-game scoring output by Ohio since 1994, when the Bobcats scored 44 runs against Radford, Liberty, Colgate and Cornell.
Ohio got on the board first with a single run in the bottom of the first against Dartmouth. Alicia Catlette (Mogadore, Ohio) walked with one out and advanced to third on an error. Shannon Weidner (Pickerington, Ohio) scored Catlette with a sacrifice fly to right.
The Bobcats did most of their damage with an eight-run fourth inning. Marian Davis (Brighton, Mich.) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and moved to second on an Amanda Sacks (Chugiak, Alaska) bunt single. After Davis and Sacks moved up a base on a Courtney Waters (Eagle River, Alaska) sac bunt, Debbie Szalejko (Beavercreek, Ohio) knocked in Davis with a single to right-center. Sacks scored one batter later on a Catlette single to left-center.
After Kelly Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) walked to load the bases, Weidner knocked in two runs with a single to center. Following an Emily Futscher (Cincinnati, Ohio) walk, Robin Miller (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) cleared the bases with a three-run double. Kristen Salvatore (Kirtland, Ohio) plated Miller with an RBI groundout to conclude the scoring.
Candace Warden (Hagerstown, Md.) earned the win for the Bobcats, surrendering only a second-inning single in five innings of work. Warden moves to 5-3 on the year with the victory.
Weidner and Miller led the offensive attack with Weidner going 2-for-2 with three RBI and a run scored while Miller went 2-for-3 with three runs batted in and a run scored.
The Bobcats grabbed the lead versus Vermont with two-run third inning. Sacks led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a Waters single. After Szalejko reached on a fielder's choice, Catlette singled home Sacks. Szalejko and Catlette pulled a double steal to put runners on second and third and Rodriguez followed with an RBI groundout to give Ohio a 2-0 advantage.
Ohio scored a single run in the top of fourth to take a 3-0 edge. Miller led off the frame with a single with pinch runner Danielle Kelley (Franklin, Tenn) moving into scoring position with a steal of second. Cathy Walters () singled to put runners on the corners and Sacks singled to plate Kelley.
The Bobcats put a five-spot on the board in the top of the fifth frame. The five-run inning marks the fourth straight game Ohio posted an inning with five or more runs. The Bobcats recorded six- and eight-run innings against Dartmouth, a nine-run frame versus Buffalo and the five-run inning against Vermont.
Rodriguez walked to lead off the fifth and advanced to second on an error and later scored on another Catamount error. After Davis was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Sacks laced a double to left-center to clear the bases and give Ohio a 7-0 lead. Waters knocked in Sacks with a single to center to give the game its final 8-0 margin.
Natalie Armstrong (Murrysville, Pa.) received the win, giving up only two singles in five innings of work. Armstrong evens her record at 2-2 with the victory.
Sacks went 3-for-3 with four runs batted in and two runs scored in the win. Sacks went 5-for-6 with four RBI and three runs scored in the two wins.
The Bobcats improve to 14-12 on the season. The win over Vermont moves Ohio two games over .500 for the first time since Feb. 19 when the Bobcats were 4-2.
Ohio looks to extend its winning streak with two games tomorrow. The Bobcats are slated to play Cornell at 2:20 p.m. and UW-Green Bay at 4:10 p.m.
