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ATHENS, Ohio - Led by Morgan Geno's four RBI day, the Ohio softball team (20-6, 1-0 MAC) opened up Mid-American Conference play on Friday evening (March 24), downing MAC West foe Toledo (12-21, 0-1 MAC) 10-1 in five innings at the Ohio Softball Field.

"We had a lot of really good at bats today," head coach Jodi Hermanek said. "That's what our girls are trained to do. They took every at bat personal today. We expect Toledo to want revenge tomorrow so we can't settle down and have to come out and continue to execute our game plan."

Toledo got on the board first in the top of the first inning when Chandler Rice hit a leadoff home run to give the Rockets an early lead. Starter Savannah Jo Dorsey (Grove City, Ohio) would get the next three batters out to send the game to the bottom of the first inning with Toledo leading 1-0.

The Bobcats would make noise on the bases in the bottom of the frame. Taylor Saxton (Circleville, Ohio) led off the inning by drawing a walk. She then stole base and reached third on a passed ball. Then with two outs, Natalie Alvarez (Long Beach, Calif.) would also draw a walk. However, Toledo starter Heather Webb would get the final batter of the inning to ground out, keeping the game at 1-0.

After Dorsey sent the Rockets down in order in the top of the second, Ohio struck in the bottom of the second inning. Morgan Geno (Chillicothe Ohio) would lead off with a walk. She would then be replaced on the bases by MacKenzie Brunswick (Bellefontaine, Ohio). Then with one out, Mikayla Cooper (Delaware, Ohio) would rope the first pitch of her at bat to left center, she would advance to third on the throw at home that would get Brunswick out. Cooper would then score when Deanna Cole (Akron, Ohio) reached first on an error, tying the game at 1-1.

After Dorsey struck out the side in the top of the third inning, the Bobcats' offense went back to work. Alexa Holland (Rochester, Ind.) led the inning off with a walk and then advanced to third on a single by Alex Day (Hilliard, Ohio). After a hard line out by Alvarez, Casie Hutchinson (Lebanon, Ohio) would walk to load the bases. Geno would then crank a double to right center, scoring Holland and Day. Madison Claytor (Alpharetta, Ga.) would then walk to reload the bases. Cooper would then hit a bases clearing single up to center field. By the end of the inning, the Bobcats would score five runs on three hits and leave two runners on to take the 6-1 lead.

Toledo would attempt to get a run back in the top of the fourth inning when Ashley Rausch led the inning off with a single through the right side. However, with one out, Dorsey would get Celeste Fidge to ground into a six-four-three double play to end the inning with Ohio leading 6-1.

The Bobcats picked up right where they left off and added on in the bottom of the fourth inning. Day led off with her second hit of the day. The Toledo pitcher, Kailey Minarchick, would get the next two Bobcat batters to strikeout. Then with two outs, Geno would get ahold of a ball and crush her fifth homerun of the season, giving Ohio an 8-1 lead.

The Bobcats weren't done. The next batter, Claytor would get ahold of her own pitch, hitting a homerun to left field, putting Ohio up 9-1. Cooper would then register her second double of the game and would score when Cole would hit a double of her own, putting Ohio up 10-1. Saxton would then single to put runner at the corners, however the next Bobcat batter would fly out, ending the inning with Ohio leading 10-1.

Dorsey would enter the top of the fifth inning to finish out the game, sending the Rockets down in order and sending the Bobcats home with a 10-1 five inning win.

At the plate, the Bobcats scored 10 runs on 10 hits. Leading the Bobcats was Cooper who went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a single, two runs scored and one RBI. Geno went 2-for-2 with a double, a homerun, four RBI and two runs scored. Day went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and extended her hitting streak to 14 games. Saxton and Cole both added hits, while Claytor added a home run, RBI and two runs scored for Ohio.

In the circle, Dorsey allowed one run on two hits and struck out five. Dorsey didn't walk a batter in her five innings of work, and 40 of her 63 pitches were strikes.

The Bobcats wrap up the opening series against Toledo on Saturday, March 25 with a double header. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at the Ohio Softball Field. If you can't make it to the came, log on to OhioBobcats.com where Jake Hromada and Jessica Costello will have the call.

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