March 30, 2012
Box Score (Game One) | Box Score (Game Two) | Photo Gallery 
ATHENS, Ohio - Ohio Softball opened Mid-American Conference play on a positive note Friday afternoon, earning a doubleheader split with the Bowling Green Falcons. The Bobcats dropped the first game by a score of 4-2 and rode two solid pitching performances to earn a 3-1 win in the final contest of the day.
The Bobcats held the Falcon offense in check on Friday, only allowing five runs and nine hits over the course of two games. Ohio saw the ball well at the plate, connecting on 14 total hits during the afternoon. The Bobcat offense was very balanced, as five Bobcats collected at least one hit in each of the two games.
Both teams started hot in the first game of the afternoon, as each side scored two runs in the opening inning. Hannah Fulk began the game with a double to center field and eventually scored a few plays later on an error. Once the Falcons (16-11, 1-1 MAC) made it 2-0, Ohio answered back immediately by adding two runs of its own. Jillian Van Wagnen (Lorain, Ohio) reached on an error and was the first of the `Cats to reach home, touching the plate when Brooke Morgart (Wayne, Ohio) singled through the left side of the infield. Raven King (Alpine, Utah) advanced Morgart to third a few plays later and Lauren Gellerman (San Diego, Calif.) drove her home with an opposite-field single through the right side.
Despite McClary's ten strikeouts and only one earned run allowed, Bowling Green was able to piece together the win. The Falcons added one run in the top of the fourth when Melissa West drove in a teammate with a single to left center before Andrea Arney blasted a solo shot to left field to make it 4-2 in the top of the fifth.
Ohio 2, Bowling Green 4
WP: Jamie Kertes (6-5)
LP: Lauren McClary (6-8)
S: Paris Imholz (2)
HR: Andrea Arney (6)
The Bobcats (12-15, 1-1 MAC) took the lead right at the start of the second game and never looked back, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. With Alexis Joseph (Alvin, Texas) on first base and two outs, King stepped up to the plate and blasted a home run to the deepest part of the park. Her fifth bomb of the year gave the `Cats the early 2-0 lead.
Freshman pitcher Kaylin Clarke (North Royalton, Ohio) had one of her best starts of the year for the Green and White, only allowing five hits and one earned run in six full innings of pitching. The freshman also struck out four batters en route to picking up her third win of the season.
Clarke was aided by McClary, who came on in the seventh inning to close things down. McClary (Pasadena, Texas) picked up Ohio's first save of the season and the first of her career, facing five batters and setting down the necessary three. Two of her three outs were strikeouts, putting her at 12 for the day.
Ohio 3, Bowling Green 1
WP: Kaylin Clarke (3-4)
LP: Paris Imholz (7-5)
S: Lauren McClary (1)
HR: Raven King (5)
The Bobcats will next be in action on Saturday afternoon at the Ohio Softball Field. Ohio will host Toledo at 2 p.m.
