March 8, 2009
Box Score-Bradley
Box Score-Michigan
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - At first glance, Ohio softball's record Sunday may not look very impressive, falling twice, including an 7-2 setback to Bradley, but the `Cats (7-10) can leave the University of Louisville Tournament knowing they can play with and potentially beat some of the top softball programs in the country, after leading No. 8 Michigan right up to the end and leaving the Wolverines licking their wounds after escaping with a hard-fought 3-2 win over feisty Ohio.
Sophomore Sara Clark (Ontario, Calif.) connected on her first-career home run while finishing the day a combined 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Emily Wethington (New Palestine, Ind.) came in 3-for-6 with a double and two RBIs on the afternoon, while Jordan Paden (Walla Walla, Wash.) also added three hits, including a double. Wethington was saddled with the loss on the rubber in both contests Sunday to fall to 4-8 overall on the season.
Two innings were the difference for the `Cats in their loss to Bradley in their first game of the day. The Braves took advantage of big first and third innings to steal a 7-2 win over Ohio. Bradley took avantage of three big hits and strategic softball to put four runs across in the first and take the 4-0 lead. Ohio battled back with a run of its own in the bottom half of the inning. Paden reached after a double down the left field line and touched home two batters later when Wethington cracked a double of her own to center field. That was all the Green and white would get as Bradley put the clamps down for the final out of the inning.
The `Cats cut into the Brave advantage with another run in the second when Clark deposited the ball beyond the fence in left field for the first round tripper of her career. Senior Jill Viguers (West Chester, Pa.) followed with a walk and Erika Girard (Chino Hills, Calif.) reached on a fielder's choice to threaten Bradley even more, but it managed to force the last two outs of the inning and escape with a 4-2 lead going into the third, which is where the Green and White fell victim to three more Brave runs that came on three hits.
Bradley kept Ohio off the board and relatively quiet in its next three trips to the plate. The `Cats looked poise to strike some damage in the sixth when Wethington and Clark both singled to give them two on with just one out. The Braves managed to shut down two-straight Ohio hitters to stop the threat. Both sides went scoreless in the seventh, and Bradley escaped with the 7-2 win.
Evidently, that seemed to fire the `Cats up as it welcomed Michigan to the diamond just a few minutes later. Ohio jumped on Wolverine ace and 2008 All-American Nikki Nemitz right off as freshman Alexis Zambrana (Alvin, Texas) smoked a double to center field to start the game. Paden followed with a single to give the `Cats runners on the corners with no outs. Wethington plated Zambrana two batters later on a groundout. Michigan settled in to get the last batter, but the Green and white led 1-0.
Wethington kept the potent Wolverine offense at bay through the first two innings, striking out three in the process. Michigan finally evened the tally in the bottom of the third by sneaking in a run on a foul out. Wethington kept the Wolverines quiet again in the fourth and fifth stanzas thanks in part to two more strikeouts, and Ohio took the lead in the fifth when Melissa Bonner (Kings Mills, Ohio) laced a double down the left field line to plate Zambrana, who had previously reached on a walk. After five innings, it was 2-1 in favor of the `Cats.
Ohio continued its strong play early in the bottom of the sixth and looked poised for a possible upset. One hit came and bit the `Cats in a big way, however, when Michigan's Roya St. Clair hit a two-out offering just over the fence in left for the two-run homer to give Michigan the 3-2 edge heading into the final inning. Things looked promising for the Green and White after Zambrana drew a one out walk to bring the meat of the Ohio lineup up. It was not to be, however, as Nemitz managed to get the last two outs, and the Wolverines limped away with the 3-2 win.
Despite picking up the loss, Wethington turned in a strong effort in the circle, pitching the complete game while striking out five, walking just one and limiting Michigan to five hits. Zambrana, Paden, Bonner and Wethington all picked up hits to lead the Ohio offense, with Bonner and Wethington collecting RBIs.
The Bobcats will return to the diamond next weekend at the Winthrop/Adidas Invitational in Rock Hill, S.C. Ohio will open the action Friday with a pair of games against USC Upstate at 11 a.m. and Fairfield at 3 p.m.
