Feb. 12, 2010
Portland State Box Score
TEMPE, Ariz. - With the start of the 2010 season finally arriving, Ohio softball showed strong potential both offensively and defensively on the first day of the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. Unfortunately for the `Cats, they came up just short in a pair of close-fought contests, falling 7-6 to Southern Utah and 2-0 to Portland State.
While it certainly was not the start Ohio (0-2) would have hoped for to open the season, the Green and White got its first taste of the competition level for a very challenging nonconference slate and some of its first tastes of action on a field this winter. The `Cats battled Southern Utah, head coach Jodi Hermanek's previous squad and a postseason qualifier twice in the last four years, and Portland State, an NCAA Regionals participant last season, right down to the very wire.
"Offensively, the first game we did great. We had a good approach," Hermanek said. "They just managed to get the run when they needed two. The second game we faced a great pitcher that kept us off balance. We picked things up the last part of the game, but we just couldn't move runners when we needed to. We'll make the adjustments we need to and be ready to go tomorrow."
Ohio enjoyed a strong offensive showing in the opening game of the day, scoring six runs against the Thunderbirds, before SUU managed to get what it needed in the bottom of the seventh to sneak away with the win. With the action even through the first four and one half innings, the Thunderbirds took a 5-3 lead heading into the top of the sixth.
The `Cats would not go away and battled back to make it 5-4. SUU scored again in its half of the sixth, before Ohio rallied with two big runs in the top of the seventh to even the tally at six. The Thunderbirds then managed to get the winning run across in the bottom of the inning. Stats from the game were not available at the time of release.
Against the Vikings (1-0), the `Cats battled tooth and nail the entire way, allowing a strong Viking offense just four hits on the evening. The Vikings simply managed to take advantage of a timely hit and a costly error to get their only runs of the day on the board.
The Green and White recorded two hits on the evening against PSU, with Shalene Petrich (Chehalis, Wash.) and Brooke Morgart (Wayne, Ohio) each picking up singles. Melissa Bonner (Kings Mills, Ohio) also recorded her first stolen base of the season. Emily Wethington (New Palestine, Ind.) tossed a complete game, scattering four hits and striking out six, but was saddled with the loss in the end.
Ohio will resume play at the Kajikawa Classic tomorrow when it takes on Ole Miss at 2 p.m. ET, before battling the defending national champions, Washington, in a 6:30 nightcap.
