April 3, 2009
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio - Wet, cold conditions left from morning rain did nothing to slow down Ohio softball Friday as it rolled past Eastern Michigan 4-2 and 9-0 to sweep the twin bill with the Eagles. The `Cats have now won four games in a row on the week.
After hot hitting and sound pitching carried the Green and White to a pair of wins over Dayton Wednesday, Ohio (12-15, 2-4 Mid-American Conference) picked up right where it left off with Friday's play. The `Cats outhit EMU (13-20, 1-5 MAC) in both games, totaling 15 on the day, and gave up just two runs over the two games. Sophomore's Melissa Bonner (Kings Mills, Ohio) and Emily Wethington (New Palestine, Ind.) turned in exceptional performances on the mound to help give the offense the power it needed. Bonner gave up a pair of runs in 6.2 innings while striking out three to pick up the victory in the game one, while Wethington allowed just three hits and struck out six in five innings in the run-ruled second game.
"It was good to see our efforts from Wednesday carry over," Ohio coach Jodi Hermanek said. "We did a great job hitting the ball solidly when we need to, and I can't say enough about our pitching. It was excellent. They did a great job focusing in on Eastern Michigan's key players and keeping them off balance. I was proud of the fact that we stayed poised and confident out there today."
Bonner and Wethington also helped themselves at the plate as well, each going a combined 2-for-5 with an RBI on the day, with Wethington notching a homer on a monstrous blast in game one. Freshman Jillian Van Wagnen (Lorain, Ohio) also made the Eagles pay, tallying a pair of hits on the day, including the first homer of her career, a three-run shot, in game two. Sara Clark (Ontario, Calif.) and Deanna Hartsough (Santa Ana, Calif.) each added a hit and two RBIs in game two.
Wethington got the action going for Ohio in the bottom of the second when she took EMU's Jaclyn Caro way over the scoreboard in dead center field for her third round tripper of the season. The Eagles returned the favor in the top of the third on an RBI double from Jenny Scherer, before the `Cats put another run across in the bottom of the inning on Alexis Zambrana's (Alvin, Texas) RBI single that scored Bonner, who had singled and stole second. The Bobcats led 2-1 after three.
Ohio added its third run of the game in the fifth when Bonner brought in Brooke Morgart (Wayne, Ohio), who had singled, stolen second and advanced to third, on a single to left field. Paige Kemezis (Hackensack, N.J.) delivered the damaging hit in the sixth when she doubled over the right fielder's head to score Lauren Histed (Shelby Township, Mich.), who had come on as a pinch runner after Wethington singled to start the action. Facing a 4-1 deficit, the Eagles would not go down without a fight. Heather Han homered to left to make it 4-2. Following a double that chased Bonner out of the game, EMU proceeded to put the potential-winning run on first by loading the bases. Wethington forced a popout to end the game and give the `Cats the win.
A big first inning was all it took for Ohio in game two, as the Bobcats scored nine runs on six hits and two costly EMU errors to give them the potential run-ruled win. After Wethington opened the contest by fanning three in the top of the first, the Green and White did its damage in the bottom of the frame. Shalene Petrich (Chehalis, Wash.) scored the first run on an RBI single from Zambrana. Clark roped a double to center to score two more runs, and Hartsough lined a double of her own two batters later to put two more across. She scored the sixth run of the inning a short time later when Morgart grounded into a fielder's choice. After batting around, Van Wagnen provided the final blow of the frame with a three-run, line-drive homer to center.
"You definitely don't expect to score nine runs in an inning," Hermanek said. "But, it was really big for us. It proved to be the difference for that game."
Wethington took charge for Ohio from there, shutting down the Eagles on three scattered hits and just one walk while fanning three more to total her six K's. EMU failed to get a run in the top of the fifth to end the contest via the run rule.
There will be little rest for the `Cats as they welcome the Chippewas of Central Michigan for a pair of games Saturday and Sunday. First pitch tomorrow is set for 2 p.m., while Sunday's action is slated to get under way at 1 p.m.
