Feb. 13, 2009
Final Stats
BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Ohio sophomore pitcher Emily Wethington (New Palestine, Ind.) picked up a win and a save Friday as the Bobcats defeated Charleston Southern 3-2 in the morning and Saint Joseph's 4-2 in the afternoon at the Camel Stampede. Ohio improved to 4-3 overall with the victories.
For the second time in three games, Ohio took advantage of late-inning heroics to pick up a win, as it scored two runs in the sixth inning in the `Cats' first game.
Sophomore right fielder Melissa Bonner (Kings Mills, Ohio) paced the Green-and-White attack with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate. Freshman Alexis shortstop Zambrana (Alvin, Tx.) chipped in a pair of hits and an RBI in two trips to bat, and also scored a run, while junior first baseman Deanna Hartsough (Santa Ana, Ca.) went 2-for-4, and fellow junior third baseman Sara Clark finished 1-for-3 with an RBI. Wethington and junior pitcher Candace Saucedo (Ontario, Ca.) combined to hold the Buccaneers to the two runs on six hits. Wethington threw five innings, fanning five along the way to pick up the win and improve to 3-2 on the year. Saucedo came in for the sixth and gave up just one hit through the next two innings to record the save, her first of the season.
Freshman Megan Lombard led CSU with a pair of RBIs on a 2-for-4 effort on the day.
The `Cats wasted no time in getting the action started as they put a run across in the top half of the first inning. Junior center fielder Shalene Petrich (Chehalis, Wa.) walked to start the game and Ohio loaded the bases a short time later on a pair of singles from Bonner and Hartsough. Zambrana then walked to force Petrich across and give Ohio the early lead. CSU's hurler settled in to force two outs and end the `Cats' hopes for more runs.
Wethington found her groove early as she allowed just one Buccaneer hit through the first four innings, while striking out five in the process. CSU caught fire in the bottom of the fifth inning, however, as it took advantage of three hits to put two runs across and take a 2-1 lead.
Zambrana started the `Cats' deciding-sixth inning run with a single to left. Saucedo and Wethington followed her lead with a pair of singles to load up the bases. Clark then put the tying run across the plate with a clutch single up the middle. Senior Allie Farrington (Wilton, N.H.) came on to pinch hit and reached on a fielder's choice to bring in Saucedo and give Ohio the lead with just one out. The Buccaneers settled in again and forced the last two outs of the inning, but not before the `Cats left with the lead. Saucedo then shut down CSU over the last two innings to seal the win for Ohio.
Bonner came out strong on the mound in the afternoon as she picked up her first win of the season after allowing just two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and one walk in six and one-third innings. Wethington recorded the final two outs, which included a strikeout, for her first save. SJU's Dani Gonzales dropped to 0-1 after yielding three runs on seven hits with a strikeout and walk in three innings.
Freshman second baseman Brooke Morgart (Wayne, Ohio) led Ohio at the dish in the second game with a sterling 3-for-3 performance that included a pair of runs scored, while Zambrana also went 2-for-3. The Hawks were led by junior catcher Brooke Darreff's 2-for-3 performance.
After a SJU tally in the top of the second, Ohio responded with a pair of runs in its half of the third when sophomore catcher Jordan Paden (Walla Walla, Wa.) scored Morgart with a single up the middle. Three batters later, Zambrana plated Petrich with a bases-loaded single through the right side.
Ohio pushed its advantage to two the following inning when sophomore right fielder Paige Kemezis (Hackensack, N.J.) scored on Morgart's triple to right.
The Hawks sliced the Bobcat lead back to one in the fifth, but Ohio answered with the final run of the game on Petrich's double to left in the sixth, scoring Morgart.
The Bobcats wrap up the Camel Stampede Saturday with a pair of games. First, they will take on host Campbell at 10 a.m. ET before squaring off with Bucknell at 3 p.m. Live stats are available for both games at OhioBobcats.com.
