Feb. 11, 2012
Box Score (Game One) | Box Score (Game Two)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. â€" Ohio Softball kept up the strong start to its 2012 season on Saturday at the second day of the USC Upstate Classic, demolishing St. Bonaventure 21-4 and beating Detroit by a final score of 13-5. With the doubleheader sweep, the ‘Cats are now a perfect 3-0 on the season.
In 71 team at-bats during the two games, Ohio collected 30 hits to bat an impressive .423 for the day while only allowing opponents to hit .222 (10-for-45). Bobcat pitchers did a great job from the mound, accumulating 18 total strikeouts during the two games.
“We were able to do a lot of things on the offensive side of the ball,†said head coach Jodi Hermanek. “We really did all of the small things right to advance our runners 60 feet and turn that into our advantage. It was one of those good days where hitting is contagious and it was contagious the right way for us.â€
The Bobcats scored 21 runs on 16 hits and seven St. Bonaventure errors in the first game. Ohio batters belted two home runs, hit two doubles and only struck out once. Two Bobcat hitters collected three hits in the first game while two others added two of their own.
Ohio leapt out to an early 2-0 lead in the first game of the doubleheader. Alexis Joseph got the ‘Cats off to a strong start with a leadoff double in the first inning and was driven home when Raven King (Alpine, Utah) grounded out to the pitcher. Erin Lashley (Pickerington, Ohio) was then able to find her way on the board in the third inning, scoring when teammate Brooke Morgart (Wayne, Ohio) grounded out to the shortstop. Lashley had singled down the left-field line to begin the inning and worked her way around the bases thanks to a Jillian Van Wagnen (Lorain, Ohio) single and a groundout by Joseph (Alvin, Texas).
St. Bonaventure battled back in the bottom of the third inning, scoring four runs to take a 4-2 lead. After Lindsay Stowell found her way to the plate, Hali Enderby tripled to right center, bringing in three more runs.
The Bobcats answered immediately and emphatically in the next inning, scoring four runs in the top of the fourth to retake the lead at 6-4. Alyssa Wolfe (Junction City, Ohio) scored following some smart base running and was followed closely behind by Lauren Gellerman (San Diego, Calif.), Van Wagnen and Jenna Giusti (Danville, Calif.).
Ohio put the game away in the top of the sixth inning, plating 14 runs in an impressive show of offensive firepower. The ‘Cats registered 14 runs on 10 hits and five Bonnie errors in this inning alone. Giusti began the inning with a double down the left-field line and she was soon after driven in by a Chelsea Hortman home run to left center. Joseph drove in Van Wagnen with an RBI single and then later scored when Adrienne Gebele (Annapolis, Md.) smacked a two-RBI single a few plays later.
The Bobcats received the benefit of a few Bonnie errors during the rest of the inning, but Gellerman took matters into her own hands by driving another two-RBI single right up the middle of the field. Lauren McClary was then able to strike out the side in the bottom of the sixth inning to put the game away.
Ohio 21, St. Bonaventure 4 (Six innings)
WP: Lauren McClary (2-0)
LP: Jen Sansano (0-2)
HR: Raven King (1), Chelsea Hortman (1)
In their second game of the day, the Bobcats kept up their great offensive production and slammed 14 hits en route to a 13-5 victory over the Detroit Titans. Five Bobcats collected two hits apiece in the win and five student-athletes knocked in at least one RBI.
Joseph was the first Bobcat to score in the second game, getting home after a King single to right field. Morgart advanced to third on this play and was ultimately driven in by a sacrifice fly from Gellerman to make it 2-0. The ‘Cats were able to extend the lead to 4-0 in the second inning when Joseph drove in two more runs with a single up the middle, sending Lashley and Van Wagnen across the plate.
The ‘Cats would stretch their lead as high as five before Detroit would get on the board, scoring on a walk in the third inning. The teams then combined for a seven run fourth inning, making the score 8-5 in favor of the Bobcats.
Ohio removed all doubt from the outcome of the game in the top of the sixth inning, plating five runs to take a commanding 13-5 lead. King blasted her second home run of the day to begin the run and Van Wagnen hit a triple to left center. She would later score on a fielding error by the third baseman. Caitlin Colvin (Bonney Lake, Wash.) was able to close things out in the bottom of the sixth inning, collecting the win in her impressive five-inning performance which included seven strikeouts.
“It was just a great day all around,†Hermanek added. “It was a tough day with the elements in that it was cold and extremely windy but I felt like we did a really good job of being out at the ball field all day with really good energy and a strong drive to win.â€
Ohio 13, Detroit 5 (Six innings)
WP: Caitlin Colvin (1-0)
LP: Julia Maksym (0-2)
HR: Raven King (2)
The Bobcats will play the final game of the tournament against host USC Upstate at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. The original time required a slight schedule change due to impending inclement weather.
