Feb. 28, 2010
Lehigh Box Score
Longwood Box Score
FARMVILLE, Va. - Ohio softball wrapped up its weekend of action in Virginia Sunday with a split, dropping a tight 2-1 decision to Lehigh and upending host Longwood 6-2.
The `Cats (4-9) enjoyed another strong offensive day, tallying a combined 18 hits over the two games. As was the case Saturday, however, one strong inning from the opposition bit Ohio. Lehigh (2-2) scored both its runs in the first inning, and it proved to be the difference, despite being outhit by the Green and White. Ohio then responded with a big 11-hit outburst against Longwood (6-6), keeping the Lancers quiet, except for two unearned runs in the sixth.
A pair of big Mountain Hawk doubles proved to be the most costly as Lehigh scored its two runs in the top of the first. Ohio had chances in both the third and fifth innings as it put two on with two outs, but the Mountain Hawks managed to get out of both innings unscathed.
The `Cats put their only run of the day on the board in the sixth as Emily Wethington (New Palestine, Ind.) led off the inning with a solo homer, her team-leading third round tripper of the season. The Green and White continued to fight and had a chance to win it in the bottom of the seventh when it put the winning run on second with just one out. Lehigh managed to force a pop out and a ground out to escape with the win.
Shalene Petrich (Chehalis, Wash.) and Jordan Paden (Walla Walla, Wash.) each went 2-for-3 to pace the `Cats at the plate, while Wethington, Sara Clark (Ontario, Calif.) and Alexis Zambrana (Alvin, Texas) each recorded hits. Caitlin Colvin (Bonney Lake, Wash.) (0-2) took the loss in the circle, despite giving up just four hits and striking out five in a complete-game effort.
Ohio showed no ill effects from the loss to Lehigh early in its second game of the day against Longwood as it pounded out four second-inning hits to plate three runs. Deanna Hartsough (Santa Ana, Calif.) opened the frame with a double to right and eventually touched home on a well-placed sacrifice bunt from Brooke Morgart (Wayne, Ohio). A two-out double from Zambrana scored Jillian Van Wagnen (Lorain, Ohio), who had reached on an infield single. Petrich followed that with a single up the middle that plated Zambrana for the third run of the inning to give the `Cats a 3-0 lead.
The Green and White looked poised to add to its lead in the top of the fourth when Van Wagnen led off the inning with a double. She moved to third after a sacrifice bunt after which Zambrana drew a walk and stole second to put runners on second and third with just one down. Longwood's hurler was able to force the next two outs, however, to spoil any Ohio hopes.
After Wethington thwarted the Lancers' hopes of a promising fifth, Paden opened the sixth with a shot to left for the first homer of her career. Van Wagnen followed with a single for her third hit of the day and then added to it by stealing both second and third to give her three stolen bases. Zambrana was then hit by a pitch and Petrich singled back to the pitcher to load the bases with one out. Ohio's hopes for anything else would come to naught as Longwood managed to get the next two hitters and end the inning.
The Lancers refused to go down quietly and put up two unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth. After an Ohio error put a runner on, Camille Ketsdever haunted the `Cats for the second day in a row with a two-out, two-run homer that cut the Green and White advantage to 4-2 after six.
Ohio added the final two runs to its tally with a two-out rally in the seventh. After Longwood managed to get the first two hitters of the inning, Paden laced a double to right. She then scored after Van Wagnen reached on a throwing error, which ended with Van Wagnen at second. Jenna Giusti (Danville, Calif.) then brought in the second run and final run of the day with single to left that scored Van Wagnen.
Wethington went the distance for Ohio, giving up just the two unearned runs while striking out seven to get the win and improve to 3-2 on the season. Van Wagnen finished a perfect 3-for-3 with three stolen bases to help pace the `Cats offensively, while Paden went 2-for-3 with a double, homer and an RBI. Petrich also picked up two hits and an RBI, and Morgart, Giusti and Zambrana each recorded an RBI.
Ohio will be back in action Friday when it heads to the University of Tennessee Tournament. The `Cats will open up play against host Tennessee Friday at 6 p.m.
