Final Stats

Game One Box| Game Two Box

KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Led by two strong outings by Lauren McClary, the Ohio softball team (9-18, 2-0 MAC) swept Western Michigan (6-16, 0-2 MAC) in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Fran Ebert Field. In their Mid-American Conference opener, the Bobcats rallied from an early 7-0 deficit to defeat the Broncos 9-8. In the second game of the twin bill, the Bobcats rallied again, defeating WMU 3-2 in eight innings.

In the first game, Western Michigan jumped out to the early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by a Taylor Sanicki two-run homerun. The Broncos added three more runs in the bottom of the second inning when Jenny Rohn hit an RBI single and Kelsea Cichocki hit a two-run double to give WMU a 7-0 lead after two innings.

The Bobcats started their rally in the top of the fourth inning when Casie Hutchinson (Lebanon, Ohio) led the inning off by getting hit by a pitch, then stole second. The next batter, Kaylin Clarke (North Royalton, Ohio), singled up the middle and then later stole second to put runners on first and second. Then, with a full count, Adrienne Gebele (Annapolis, M.D.) smashed a three-run homerun to left center, cutting the Bronco lead to 7-3.

Western Michigan got one run back in the bottom of the fourth inning when Erin Binkowski reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Rohn from third to take an 8-3 lead.

The Bobcats continued to rally, capitalizing on two Bronco errors and putting a five spot on the board in the top of the fifth inning. The scoring began when Timmie Rappe (Wheaton, Ill.) led the inning off with a single. Rappe would later score when Hutchinson reached base when the right fielder dropped the ball. Next, Clarke singled up the middle, scoring Amanda Dalton (Salem, Va.). Raven King (Alpine, Utah) would come to the plate next and would double, scoring Hutchinson. Two batters later, Dakota Pyles (Galloway, Ohio) would reach first when the centerfielder dropped a fly ball, allowing King and Clarke to score and tie the game at 8-8.

The Bobcats would take the lead in the top of the sixth inning when Sloan Walker (Cypress, Texas) scored on a sacrifice fly by Clarke to give the Bobcats the 9-8 lead. That was all the runs the Bobcats would need behind solid pitching by McClary (Pasadena, Texas) and Ohio would walk away with the 9-8 game one victory.

At the plate, the Bobcats had nine hits. Gebele went 2-for-3 with a homerun, three RBIs and a run scored. Clarke was 2-for 3 with a sacrifice fly, two runs scored and stolen base and two RBIs. Dalton went 2-for-4 and scored a run for the Bobcats. King added a double and an RBI for Ohio and Walker and Rappe each had a hit and scored a run. Hutchinson scored two runs and added a stolen base while running the base path for the Bobcats.

In the circle, Clarke started, allowing seven runs on seven hits and striking out one. In two and a third innings of relief, Sydney Compston (Wellston, Ohio) allowed one run on four hits and struck out two. McClary finished out the game, pitching three innings and did not allow a run on three hits; all while striking out two and picking up her first win of the season.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Bobcats would score first in the top of the first inning when Dalton would score from second base when Clarke singled and advanced to second on an error by the WMU leftfielder, giving Ohio an early 1-0 lead.

The Broncos would respond in the bottom of the frame, tying the game at 1-1 when Sanicki scored on an RBI single by Melissa Palmer. The Broncos would add a run in the bottom of the second inning when Wilson scored on a double by Ivy Schaff, to take a 2-1 lead.

The Bobcats threatened in the top of the fourth when Clarke led the inning off with a single and would advance to second when King walked to put runners on first and second. Clarke and King would move up a base on a sacrifice bunt by Gebele, unfortunately the runners would end the inning stranded there as WMU retained its 2-1 lead.

The Bobcats kept fighting and it paid off in the top of the seventh inning. Pyles led the inning off with a single and would advance to third on a base hit by Madison Claytor (Alpharetta, Ga.). Next, Rappe would ground out to the pitcher and Pyles would score when she slid under the tag of the catcher as WMU tried to turn a double play. The run tied the game at 2-2 and would send the game into extra innings.

In the top of the eighth inning, Dalton would lead the inning off with a single. She would then advance to second on a base hit by Clarke, and then score on an RBI single by King to put Ohio up 3-2. McClary then worked a scoreless bottom of the eighth, giving the Bobcats the 3-2 eight inning victory.

At the plate, the Bobcats had nine hits, led by Clarke who went for 3-for-3 with an RBI. Claytor went 2-for-3 and Dalton went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. King and Pyles both added hits for Ohio and Rappe and King each added an RBI.

In the circle, Compston started the game, pitching an inning and a third and allowing two runs on five hits and striking out out two. Leanna Bachman (Carroll, Ohio) threw two-thirds of an innings, allowing no runs on two hits, and McClary finished out the game, pitching six innings, allowing no runs on three hits and striking out two and picking up her second win of the day.

The Bobcats return to Athens April 3-5 for more MAC play. On Friday, April 3, the Bobcats host Eastern Michigan in a doubleheader at the Ohio Softball Field. The first game is set to begin at 1 p.m. with game two to follow at 3 p.m. The Bobcats will then welcome Eastern Michigan for a two-game series starting Saturday, April 4 at p.m. and concluding on Sunday, April 5 at 1 p.m.

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