Final Stats

Game One Boxscore | Game Two Boxscore

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Ohio softball team (12-2) wrapped up play at the 2017 Tennessee Invitational on Saturday (March 4). In the first game of the day, the Bobcats defeated Delaware (2-10) 9-4. The Bobcats returned later in the day to defeat Jacksonville State (10-5), 1-0. The Bobcats finished their weekend in Tennessee with a 4-1 record.

“Against Delaware, putting up 18 hits was huge,” head coach Jodi Hermanek said. “The coaching staff is pumped to watch our production at the plate. We got a bit shaken in one inning, committing three errors, but I was happy to see us refocus. Against Jacksonville State, that was a huge win for us. We knew JSU’s pitcher was going to bring a battle and we knew earning one run was going to be enough with Savannah in the circle. It was awesome to get clutch hitting by Alex Day to score Taylor Saxton. Our goal was to be as close to 21 outs as possible and getting 24 is very successful. We had some awesome defensive plays.”

GAME ONE: Ohio 9, Delaware 4
The Bobcats jumped on the board first in the top of the second inning. After clean frames from both starting pitchers, leadoff batter Mikayla Cooper (Delaware, Ohio) took a 2-1 pitch and cranked it to right field for her second home run of the weekend, putting the Bobcats up 1-0 early.

Ohio would add on in the inning, when with two outs, Alexa Holland (Rochester, Ind.) reached base on an infield single. She then advanced to second on another infield single by Taylor Saxton (Circleville, Ohio). Alex Day (Hilliard, Ohio) then reached base on a fielder’s choice and an error that resulted on all runners being safe and leaving the bases loaded. The next batter, Jamie Wren (Whittier, Calif.), then registered another infield hit to the shortstop, scoring Holland from third. Still with two outs, Natalie Alvarez (Long Beach, Calif.) then contributed to the offense with a two RBI single to right field, scoring Saxton and Day and putting the Bobcats up 4-0.

The Bobcats came out in the top of the third inning and picked up right where they left off in the second inning. Cooper singled to lead off the inning. Starting pitcher, Danielle Stiene (Loveland, Ohio) then hit into a fielder’s choice. MacKenzie Brunswick (Bellefontaine, Ohio) then singled and Holland followed that up with a base hi of her own, as did Saxton, scoring Stiene in the process. Later in the inning, Wren would double to right field and clear the bases and put the Bobcats up 8-0 after three innings.

Delaware cut into the Ohio lead in the bottom of the third inning, when with two outs, Delaware would registered and RBI double and a two-RBI single to cut the Ohio lead to 8-3.

Ohio would threaten to add on in the top of the fourth inning when Casie Hutchinson (Lebanon, Ohio) singled to lead off the inning. Later in the inning, Brunswick would single, however the Bobcats would not score in that inning and Ohio would continue to lead 8-3.

Delaware would add a run in the bottom of the fifth inning due to an error in the field, and would cut the Ohio lead to 8-4.

Ohio would add on in the top of the seventh inning when Day led the inning off with a double to right field and then Hutchinson would double to centerfield, scoring Day to give the Bobcats a 9-4 lead.

Delaware would attempt to add on in the bottom of the seventh inning on a single, however the Bobcat defense would hold strong and Ohio would come away with the 9-4 victory.

In the circle, Stiene (4-0) got the start, going four innings, allowing four runs on six hits and 11 strikeouts. Desirae Villanueva (Surrey, British Columbia) pitched one inning and did not allow a run or a hit with one strikeout. Morgan Geno (Chillicothe, Ohio) closed out the game, pitching one inning and did not allow a run on one hit and one strikeout.

At the plate, the Bobcats scored nine runs on 18 hits. Leading the way was Wren who was 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI. Cooper went 3-for-5 with a homerun, one RBI and one run scored. Saxton and Brunswick both had three hits in the game, while Holland had two hits with two runs scored and Hutchinson registered two hits and one RBI. Alvarez and Day both added hits for the Bobcats.

GAME TWO: Ohio 1, Jacksonville State 0
The Bobcats and Jacksonville State faced off in the final game of the weekend for the Bobcats in what turned out to be a huge defensive battle.

The Bobcat defense took control early, when in the top of the first inning, Jacksonville State walked to lead off the game, however starter Savannah Jo Dorsey (Grove City, Ohio) would strike out the next batter and then force another batter to foul into a double play, allowing Ohio to come to bat in a scoreless game.

For the Bobcats, Day led the bottom of the first off with an infield single and would advance to second on a sacrifice bunt from Wren. Geno would then walk to put runners at first and second. With two outs, Hutchinson would walk to load the bases, however the Bobcats would not be able to get a run on the board and the game would stay scoreless.

After a one-two-three inning for Dorsey in the top of the second inning, Ohio got to work again. With two outs, Saxton singled through the left side. The next batter, Day, would take a 1-2 pitch and smash it for a double to left center, allowing Saxton to score from first and giving Ohio a 1-0 lead. Wren would then single, however the Bobcats would only get one run and would lead 1-0 after two innings.

Dorsey settled in once again and after a scoreless top of the third from Jacksonville State, Ohio would also go down in order and lead 1-0 after three innings.

Jacksonville State would threaten in the top of the fourth inning when the leadoff batter reached on a single up the middle. However, Dorsey would get the next batter to pop up, followed by a ground out and a strikeout to get out of the inning unharmed with the 1-0 lead.

After a quick bottom of the fourth inning, Jacksonville State would try to score once again in the top of the fifth inning. When with one out, they would register and single to right field, however, Dorsey would strikeout and get the last batter to pop up to keep the 1-0 lead.

Ohio would get a runner on base in the bottom of the sixth inning with Hutchinson walked. However, Ohio would not score. Dorsey would then come enter the top of the seventh inning and send Jacksonville State down in order and preserve the 1-0 victory for the Bobcats.

At the plate, the Bobcats scored one run on four hits. Day led Ohio, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Saxton added a hit and a run scored and Wren also added a hit for Ohio.

In the circle, Dorsey (6-1) pitched seven innings and did not allow a run on two hits while striking out seven.

“I can’t give enough praise to the Bobcats for this weekend’s success,” Hermanek said. “We have worked extremely hard to play this type of great softball, and I’m proud the work is paying off.“

UP NEXT
Up next, the Bobcats hit the road once again when they head to Dayton, Ohio to take on Dayton on Wednesday, March 8. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.

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