Feb. 27, 2010
Lehigh Box Score
Longwood Box Score
FARMVILLE, Va. - Offense was on display for Ohio softball Saturday as it tallied a combined 22 hits on the day en route to 17 total runs while splitting a doubleheader. The `Cats thumped a strong Lehigh team 10-1 and fell 11-7 in a slugfest to host Longwood to conclude the day.
After struggling to get the runs they needed in tight contests the last two weekends, the `Cats (3-8) more than made up for it Saturday. Ohio laced out a season-high 10 runs on 12 hits against Lehigh (1-1), an NCAA Regionals qualifier a season ago, in its 10-1 run-rule win. The Green and White followed it with seven more runs and nine hits against Longwood (5-5) in its second game of the day. Unfortunately for the `Cats, the Lancers' bats were sizzling as well as Longwood took advantage of a huge eight-run fifth inning to outslug Ohio and pick up the win.
Seven `Cats picked up multiple hits on the day, led by Alexis Zambrana (Alvin, Texas), who finished a combined 4-for-7 while scoring four runs on the day. Shalene Petrich (Chehalis, Wash.) tallied three hits, while freshman Caitlin Colvin continued her strong hitting with three hits and seven RBI, including her second homer of the game on a grand slam against Longwood. Sara Clark (Ontario, Calif.) and Emily Wethington (New Palestine, Ind.) also picked up their second dingers of the season while each had a pair of hits on the day. Deanna Hartsough (Santa Ana, Calif.) and Jordan Paden (Walla Walla, Wash.) also finished with two hits and an RBI each.
"All in all it was a good day," Ohio coach Jodi Hermanek said. "We had some great at bats and strong pitch selection and were able to get through our zones. We just let one inning against a good hitting team get away from us."
Ohio got things rolling early against the Mountain Hawks as it roped out four hits in the top of the second to plate the first run of the game when Hartsough came across on an RBI single from Paden). After Lehigh responded with a run of its own to tie things up in the bottom of the inning, the `Cats put two more runs on the board in the third to take a 3-1 lead. Clark opened the frame with her blast, before Wethington deposited a shot of her own beyond the left-field wall.
Three `Cat hits in the fourth resulted in two more Green and White runs, which extended the lead to 5-1. After an out to open the inning, Zambrana and Petrich both reached on infield singles and stole third and second bases, respectively. They each came around to score on a single to center from Colvin.
Following a quiet fifth, Ohio put the finishing touches on the contest with five big runs, thanks in part to three Mountain Hawk errors. Petrich picked up an RBI single in the frame, while Wethington picked up a two-run single. Clark scored the final run on a Lehigh wild pitch.
Wethington continued her strong outing as she put the Mountain Hawks down with barely a whimper to pick up the complete game. The junior finished her strong outing with six strikeouts while scattering five hits and giving up just the one run to improve to 2-2 on the season.
The `Cats continued right where they left off against Longwood as they scored two runs in the bottom of the first to take an early 2-0 lead. Zambrana opened the frame with a bunt single and eventually came across on a single from Colvin. Clark also singled in the inning and touched home following a Hartsough single to right.
Longwood countered with its first run of the game on a homer to left center from Camille Ketsdever in the top of the second. Ohio then continued its offensive groove with four more runs in the second, capped off by Colvin's grand slam to center. The Lancers still would not go away and scored two more runs in the third behind a pair of RBI singles.
Petrich came across in the bottom of the fourth following a Bonner single to right and an error from the Longwood right fielder to make it 7-3. The Lancers then exploded with eight huge runs on seven hits in the top of the fifth to make it 11-7 and take the wind out of Ohio's sails.
The `Cats would not go away without one last fight as they tried to mount a run of their own in the bottom of the seventh. Ohio put two runners on with just one out following a Paden pinch-hit single, but Longwood managed to force the final two outs to steal the win. Candace Saucedo (Ontario, Calif.) was credited with the loss in just two-thirds of an inning.
"Longwood is a really good hitting team up and down their lineup," Hermanek said. "We struggled to throw the ball into our zones and gave up walks and hits that really hurt us. We know where we need to make adjustments though, and we'll be ready to go again tomorrow."
Brooke Short and Ketsdever paced the Lancers, going 4-for-5 and 3-for-4, respectively, with five RBI each.
Ohio will now turn around and play two more games with Longwood and Lehigh tomorrow. Following an 11 a.m. rematch with Lehigh, the `Cats will look to extract a bit of revenge when they face the Lancers at 3 p.m. to conclude the weekend.
