May 7, 2014
Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF)
AKRON, Ohio - Freshman Casie Hutchinson (Lebanon, Ohio) posted two RBI singles, and sophomore pitcher Savannah Jo Dorsey (Grove City, Oho) totaled 10 strikeouts to push the Ohio University softball team (29-24) to a 2-1 victory over Kent State (24-19) in the opening round of the 2014 Mid-American Conference Tournament on Wednesday (May 7).
The Bobcats will take on the victor of Wednesday afternoon's contest between MAC regular season champion Ball State and No. 8-seeded Miami in a winner's bracket game on Thursday (May 8) at 1:30 p.m. ET. The Golden Flashes will face the loser of Wednesday afternoon's game in an 11 a.m. ET elimination game on Thursday.
Ohio posted a victory in its conference tournament opener for the first time since edging Miami, 5-4, in 2011.
Dorsey improved to 22-16 on the year, matching Annie Hare (1995) for the most pitching wins in a single season in school history. The contest marked her 24th complete-game effort of the season, which ranks as the third-most in a single season in school history. The Second Team All-MAC selection tallied at least 10 strikeouts for the ninth time this year and second straight game to run her school-record single-season strikeout total to 254. Dorsey limited the Flashes to just one earned run on eight hits and two walks.
An MAC All-Freshman Team selection, Hutchinson posted her 13th multi-hit game of the year, which ranks as the third-most on the team.
Although Ohio collected only five hits off of Kent State junior pitcher Emma Johnson, the 'Cats displayed tremendous plate discipline, coaxing eight walks. First Team All-MAC pick Amanda Dalton (Salem, Va.) and freshman Taylor Saxton (Circleville, Ohio) each drew two free passes.
Ohio broke the scoreless tie in the third when Saxton drew a leadoff walk, then swiped second for her 13th stolen base of the season. That set the table for Hutchinson's base hit back up the middle, scoring Saxton to make it 1-0 in favor of the 'Cats.
Dorsey and her defense forced Kent State to leave the bases loaded in the third by striking out junior Ariele Patterson to end the threat, then forcing the Flashes to strand two runners in the fifth and sixth.
The Bobcats added a second run in the sixth when junior Dakota Pyles (Galloway, Ohio) led off the frame with a single to center, advanced to second by way of a sacrifice bunt by senior Alyssa Wolfe (Junction City, Ohio) and scored one out later courtesy of another RBI single up the middle by Hutchinson.
Kent State shaved Ohio's lead down to one in the home half of the seventh when junior Kim Kirkpatrick stroked a leadoff double to right center, advanced to third on a single by junior Dani Ramos and tagged up and scored on a sacrifice fly to left by freshman Maddy Grimm.
That's as close as Dorsey let Kent State get, though, as she forced senior Abbey Ledford to fly out to right and freshman Ronnie Ladines to pop up to short to end the game.
Ramos led all hitters with three base knocks.
#OhioBobcats
