March 4, 2006
Box Score
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Ohio softball team fell to Belmont 4-3 in nine innings and dropped a 6-3 decision to Kentucky at the first day of the Frostbite Classic hosted by Kentucky.
The Bobcats ventured into extra innings against Belmont with the score tied at 2. Kelly Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) started Ohio's half of the eighth on second base as part of the tiebreaker rule. Rodriguez advanced to third on sacrifice bunt and scored one batter later on an Emily Futscher (Cincinnati, Ohio) sacrifice fly to give the Bobcats a 3-2 edge.
The Bruins tallied a single run in their half of the eighth to send the game into the ninth inning. Ohio moved a runner to third with one out but was unable to push a run across in its half of the ninth. Belmont scored a run in the bottom of the ninth on a Bobcat error to earn the win.
Ohio got on the board first with two runs in the top of the second. Maghan Lunsford (Centerville, Ohio) led off the inning with a single with Danielle Kelley (Franklin, Tenn.) taking over as the pinch runner. Kelley advanced to second on a balk and scored on an Alicia Catlette (Mogadore, Ohio) triple to left center. Catlette later scored on Belmont's second balk of the inning.
Belmont scored a single run in the third inning to cut the deficit to one and evened the score at two with a run in the sixth.
MIchelle Sauter (Chehalis, Wash.) started and pitched 5 1/3 innings, giving up eight hits and two earned runs. Zoe Heim (Ann Arbor, Mich.) took the loss, giving up three hits and two unearned runs over three innings of work. Sauter and Heim combined to strike out 11 batters while walking none.
Catlette paced the Bobcat offense, going 3-for-3 with a run scored and batted in. Catlette's three hits mark a career-high for a single game. Robin Miller (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) went 2-for-3 with a double.
The Bobcats followed with the tilt against host Kentucky. The Wildcats got on the board first with three runs in the bottom of the third. Ohio closed to within 3-1 following a Miller home run to left field. The long ball moves Miller into a tie for fifth-place on Ohio's all-time home run list with six.
Kentucky responded with a run in its half of the fifth but the Bobcats answered right back with a run in the top of the sixth. Debbie Szalejko reached on an error to start the inning and advanced to second on a one-out single from Rodriguez. Shannon Weidner (Pickerington, Ohio) was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Futscher plated Szalejko with an RBI groundout to put Ohio within two at 4-2. The deficit grew to four after the Wildcats scored two in the bottom of the sixth.
Ohio attempted to put together a rally in the top of the seventh but it was not enough. Miller led off with a double and moved to third on a Sauter groundout. Kristen Salvatore (Kirtland, Ohio) singled to left to score Miller but the Bobcats could muster no more against the tough Kentucky pitching staff.
Candace Warden (Hagerstown, Md.) started and took the loss. Warden pitched four innings, allowing three runs on five hits. Natalie Armstrong (Murrysville, Pa.) pitched the final two innings, giving up six hits and three runs.
Miller had another strong game, going 2-for-3 with a two runs scored and an RBI to lead the Ohio offense.
The losses drop the Bobcats to 5-7 on the season.
Ohio will be back in action tomorrow when it plays Youngstown State at 9 a.m. and Morehead State at 2 p.m.
