March 22, 2006
Orlando, Fla. - The Ohio softball team extended its winning streak to a season-long five games with a 7-0 defeat of Cornell but saw that streak snapped with a 4-1 loss to Wisconsin-Green Bay at the Rebel Games.
The Bobcats opened the day with their third straight shutout. Ohio blanked Cornell 7-0 marking the first time since 1999 the Bobcats shut out three consecutive opponents. The Bobcats held Cleveland State scoreless in a doubleheader and Dayton scoreless in the first game of a doubleheader April 13-14 of 1999.
The Ohio offense, which has now scored in the first inning ten times this season, tallied two runs in both the first and second innings. With one out, Alicia Catlette (Mogadore, Ohio) singled to start the rally. With two outs, Shannon Weidner (Pickerington, Ohio) and Emily Futscher (Cincinnati, Ohio) were both hit by pitches to load the bases. Robin Miller (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) came through for the Bobcats, singling through the right side to score Catlette and Weidner for her team-leading 16th and 17th runs batted in of the season.
Marian Davis (Brighton, Mich.) was hit by a pitch to lead off the second frame. Amanda Sacks (Chugiak, Alaska) walked and Courtney Waters (Eagle River, Alaska) singled to load the bases. Debbie Szalejko (Beavercreek, Ohio) followed with a sacrifice fly, scoring Davis, and Catlette plated Sacks with an RBI groundout.
The Bobcats tallied two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Sacks walked to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a sac bunt and moved to third on a groundout to the pitcher. Catlette knocked in her second run of the game with a single through the box and stole second to move into scoring position. Catlette eventually came around to score on a Cornell error to give Ohio a 6-0 lead.
Davis provided the Bobcats with their final run with a solo home run, her second of the season, to give the game its final 7-0 margin.
Michelle Sauter (Chehalis, Wash.) picked up the win for Ohio, throwing a scoreless five innings while striking out four. Sauter improves to 5-3 with the victory. Katlyn Mallette (Taunton, Mass.) pitched the final two innings, surrendering only a single out of the bullpen.
The tilt with Green Bay got off to a good start for Ohio with the Bobcats pushing a run across in the top of the first. Szalejko reached on an error to start the frame and moved to second on a sac bunt. Kelly Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) followed with a single to right field, scoring Szalejko and giving Ohio the early 1-0 lead.
Green Bay evened the game with a run in the bottom of the second and took the lead for good with three runs in the third inning. The Bobcats put runners in scoring position in the second and seventh innings but were unable to push any more runs across.
Zoe Heim (Ann Arbor, Mich.) took the loss despite a solid outing in the circle. She allowed only two earned runs on six hits over six innings of work. Heim struck out five batters to move into eighth-place on Ohio's all-time strikeout list.
Ohio moves to 15-13 following the day's events and has won five of its last six games.
The Bobcats will conclude their participation in the Rebel Games tomorrow with a 10:40 a.m. game against Cornell and a 12:30 p.m. tilt with Vermont.
