Feb. 21, 2009
Game one box score
Game two box score
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Morehead State did not prove to be the kindest of hosts during the first two games of three-game weekend series, as Ohio (5-6) dropped both games of a double header, 2-0 and 9-1, to the Eagles (3-2) late Saturday afternoon.
"It was a day where we did not have timely hitting," Ohio coach Jodi Hermanek said. "We weren't making the adjustments at bat when we needed to. During the second game, it was miscues we normally wouldn't make. Give Morehead State credit though. They did a great job putting the bat on the ball and putting it in play."
Freshman Alexis Zambrana (Alvin, Texas) led the Green and White on the day, going a combined 2-for-6 with a double and Ohio's only RBI. Sophomore Jordan Paden (Walla Walla, Wash.) also turned in a good showing at the plate, finishing 2-for-5 for the afternoon, as Ohio's high-powered offensive attack was held in check by a pair of solid pitching performances from the Eagles. Sophomore Emily Wethington (New Palestine, Ind.) was saddled with both losses in the circle to fall to 3-4 on the year.
Pitching took center stage in the first game as Wethington battled MSU's Alex GJevre tooth and nail throughout the contest. Things started off on a good note for Ohio as Paden singled and then stole second. Zambrana singled two batters later and immediately stole second to give the `Cats runners in scoring position with two outs. Gjevre was able to force a groundout to end the Green and White threat.
Wethington fanned the first two Morehead State hitters in the bottom of the first before Rebecca Butler homered to give the Eagles the 1-0 lead. Gjevre caught fire from there and limited Ohio to just two more hits, a single to Brooke Morgart (Wayne, Ohio) in the fifth and a double to Sara Clark (Ontario, Calif.) in the seventh.
MSU put its final tally across in the sixth to make it 2-0. Ohio mounted a rally in the seventh as Clark doubled before Morgart and Shalene Petrich (Chehalis, Wash.) both reached to load up the bags with just one out. Unfortunately, Gjevre settled in to get the last two outs and the Eagles escaped with the win.
One inning proved to be costly for the Green and White in game two as Morehead State chalked up six runs on the board in a disastrous sixth inning for Ohio and won a run-ruled contest 9-1.
The Eagles lit up the scoreboard first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first thanks to a two-run single from Butler. Morehead State chalked on another run in the third to chase Wethington out of the game and take a 3-1 lead. The `Cats fought back with a run in their half of the fourth behind a pair of clutch doubles from Paige Kemezis (Hackensack, N.J.) and Zambrana. Kemezis doubled to open the frame, before Zambrana followed it with two bagger of her own to plate Kemezis. The Eagles' Sarah Funston settled in to put the next three Ohio hitters down and end the Green and White's hopes for a big inning.
After a quiet fifth from both sides, MSU's bats came out blazing hot and gave the eagles six runs on six hits to take the 9-1 run-ruled decision and give the Eagles the victory.
Zambrana finished the game 1-for-3 with her double and RBI. Six other `Cats tallied hits in the contest, while Wethington was handed the loss after working just three innings.
"Tomorrow, we need to get back into the game we know we can play," Hermanek said. "We need to take advantage of every play, every inning and every at bat we get. We need to go back to the basics and play Ohio softball."
Ohio will look to rebound against Morehead State tomorrow in the final game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
