April 12, 2017
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ATHENS, Ohio – Despite starter Savannah Jo Dorsey striking out a career-high 22 batters, the Ohio softball team (26-11, 7-5 MAC) would fall in a pitchers duel to Mid-American Conference East foe Kent State (16-21, 6-6 MAC), 1-0, in 11 innings Tuesday afternoon at the Ohio Softball Field. The game concluded the Bobcats three-game series with the Flashes, which gave Kent State the season series win.
Kent State would make noise first in the top of the first inning. Emily Dobbin led the game off with a hard hit single to center field. Starter Dorsey (Grove City, Ohio) would get the next two batters out and with two outs, Dobbin would advance to second on a Bailey Brownfield single to center. Dorsey would then come back and get the next batter out swinging, ending the inning with runners stranded on first and second.
The Bobcats would get a runner on in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Alexa Holland (Rochester, Ind.) would reach on an infield bunt single. She would then advance to second on a ground out, however the Ohio offense would be unable to get her around and the game would remain tied at 0-0 after the first inning.
The Golden Flashes would get another runner on in the top of the second, when Vanessa Scoarste would draw a walk to lead off the inning. She would move to second on a sacrifice bunt to first base. Then with one out, Dorsey would get the new two Kent State batters out, stranding another runner in scoring position.
After the Bobcats went down in order in the bottom of the second, Kent State would threaten in the top of the third inning. When with one out, Jen Cader would reach first on an infield single. With two outs, Brownfield would reach first on a fielder’s choice putting runners on first and second. Then Ronnie Ladines would draw a walk to load the bases, however, Dorsey would get Scoarste to strike out looking, leaving the bases loaded and going to the bottom f the third with the game still tied at 0-0.
Ohio attempted to get something going in the bottom of the third inning when Taylor Saxton (Circleville, Ohio) led the inning off with an infield single. She would then be erased from the bases when Deanna Cole (Akron, Ohio) reached on a fielding error by Kent State. Cole would then steal second and then get caught stealing third to send the inning tied at 0-0 after three frames of action.
After Dorsey struck out the side in the top of the fourth inning, Ohio would try to get a run across in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, Morgan Geno (Chillicothe, Ohio) would crush a ball to straight away center that was originally thought to be a home run, but would then be ruled a ground rule double. Alexis Milesky (Plain City, Ohio) would then enter the game to pinch run for Geno, however the Bobcat offense would not be able to get her home and the game would remain scoreless after four innings.
Kent State would threaten in the top of the fifth inning, when with one out Cader would reach on a single through the left side. Maddy Grimm would then follow that up and a hard hit single to centerfield, putting runners on first and second with one out. However, Dorsey would get Brownfield to pop up to the shortstop on the first pitch and then would get Ladines to strike out swinging, to end the inning with the score still tied at 0-0.
After Dorsey sent the Golden Flashes down in order in the top of the sixth, the Bobcats would get a runner on in the bottom of the frame when with two outs, Holland would reach first after she was hit by a pitch. Geno would then get a hold of a pitch and drive it to center field, however it would be caught and the game would go to the seventh inning still scoreless.
After Dorsey sent the Golden Flashes down in order in the top of the seventh, the Bobcats would have their biggest threat of the game in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Natalie Alvarez (Long Beach, Calif.) would crush a single up the middle. Brittany Keen would replace Alvarez on the bases and would advance to second when Madison Claytor (Alpharetta, Ga.) laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Keen would advance to third on a passed ball, however the Bobcats would be unable to get her home and the game would go to extras tied at 0-0.
In the top of the eighth inning, Dorsey would send the Flashes down in order, striking out two and setting her new career high in strikeouts with, at the time, 17.
The Bobcats would threaten in the bottom of the eighth inning. Saxton and Cole would reach base on back-to-back errors by the Kent State shortstop. With no outs and runners on first and second, Ladines would get the next three Ohio batters out and the game would go into ninth inning still scoreless.
Kent State would get a runner in scoring position in the top of the ninth inning when Allie Luther led the inning off by drawing a walk. She would be replaced on the bases when Scoarste would reenter the game. She would advance to second on a sacrifice bunt by Nicole Teefy. However, Dorsey would get the next two batters to strikeout, sending the game to the bottom of the inning still tied at 0-0.
Ohio would make some noise in the bottom of the frame, when with one out, Alvarez would reach on a single to left field. Alvarez would be replaced on the bases by Dallas Messenger (Bellaire, Ohio), and later in the inning, Messenger would be erased when Claytor hit into a fielder’s choice. However, with Claytor on first, the offense would not be able to get her around and the game would go to the 10th still scoreless.
The Bobcats would threaten again in the bottom of the 10th. With one out, Cole would reach on an infield single. She would then steal second and then reach third on a passed ball. With two outs, Holland would draw a walk, putting runners on first and third. With Geno at the plate, Ladines would throw a ball to the backstop and Cole would break for home, where she would unfortunately get called out on the close play at the plate and send the game to the 11th still tied at 0-0.
Kent State would finally strike in the top of the 11th inning when Brownfield hit a home run to right center, putting the Flashes up 1-0 entering the bottom of the 11th.
The Bobcats would try and mount a rally in the bottom of the 11th inning when Geno would lead off with a single. She would then advance to second when Cooper drew a walk, placing runners on first and second with no outs. Geno would be called out at third when Claytor reached first on a fielder’s choice, placing runners on first and second with two outs. Unfortunately, the Bobcats would be unable to score and they would fall by the final of 1-0.
In the circle, Dorsey was masterful once again, pitching 11 innings, and allowing one run on six hits and striking out a career-high 22. Overall, Dorsey was efficient as well, only walking three and throwing only 168 pitches, with 112 of them being strikes.
At the plate, the Bobcats had seven hits, with Alvarez going 2-for-4 and Geno going 2-for-5 with a double. Holland would add a hit and a walk and Saxton and Cole would all record base hits for the Bobcats.
Up next, the Bobcats head to Akron, Ohio to take on MAC East foes Akron April 14-15. The Bobcats will take on the Zips on Friday, April 14 at 3 p.m. and will wrap up the series with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 15 starting at 1 p.m.
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