Final Stats

Game One PDF Boxscore | Game Two PDF Boxscore

AKRON, Ohio – Led by Savannah Jo Dorsey, the Ohio softball team (27-12, 8-6 MAC) split a doubleheader with Mid-American Conference East foes Akron (18-22, 7-7 MAC) Friday afternoon. The Bobcats fell in game one, 1-0, but came back strong, downing the Zips, 7-1, in the second game.

GAME ONE: Akron 1, Ohio 0
The Bobcats would get the first hit of the game in the top of the first inning. With two outs, Morgan Geno (Chillicothe, Ohio) would crush a ball up the middle. She would then advance to second on a passed ball, however, she would be unable to score and would send the game to the bottom of the frame scoreless.

Akron would try and get a runner on in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Alyssa Nicholas would single to the left side. She would be erased from the bases when Savannah Fruin would reach on a fielder’s choice. However, the Zips would not score and the game would go to the third still tied at 0-0.

After the Bobcats went down in order in the top of the second, Akron would get a runner on in the bottom of the second inning when Taylor Kirian would get on with a single through the left side. She would be erased when Laura Lakins reached on a fielder’s choice. However, starter Danielle Stiene (Loveland, Ohio) would get the next two Akron batters to strike out, sending the game to the third inning tied at 0-0.

After an uneventful two innings for the Bobcats through the third and fourth, Akron would get runners on again in the bottom of the fourth. Fruin would lead the inning off with a double to centerfield. She would advance to second on a passed ball. With one outs, catcher Madison Claytor (Alpharetta, Ga.) would catch Fruin trying to steal third and then Stiene would get the next batter out, sending the game to the fifth still scoreless.

The Bobcats would get a runner on in the top of the fifth inning, when with two outs, Claytor would reach first when the first baseman dropped a popup. Unfortunately, the Bobcats would be unable to score and the game would remain tied at 0-0.

Akron would get a runner on third in the bottom of the fifth inning when with one out, Anna Tarpley would reach first after she was hit by a pitch. She would then move to second on a ground out and then reach third on a passed ball. However, Stiene would get the next batter to strike out, keeping the game scoreless after five.

Ohio would get a runner on in the top of the sixth inning, when with two outs, Alexa Holland (Rochester, Ind.) would draw a walk, putting her on first. However, Ohio would not be able to score and the game would remain tied at 0-0 entering the bottom of the sixth inning.

Akron would finally strike in the bottom of the sixth. Ashley Sims would walk to lead off the inning and then advance to second on a base hit by Nicholas. Savannah Jo Dorsey (Grove City, Ohio) would then enter the game in relief and Fruin would hit her second double of the game, scoring Sims and putting runners on second and third with no outs. Then Dorsey would get the next three batters to strikeout, sending the game to the top of the seventh with Akron leading 1-0.

The Bobcats would try and mount a rally in the top of the seventh, however, they would be unable to do so and the Bobcats would fall in game one by the final of 1-0.

At the plate, Ohio had one hit, with Geno registering it in the first inning. Claytor would reach base on an error and Holland would reach on a walk.

In the circle, Stiene (9-5) would get the start, pitching five innings, allowing one run on four hits and striking out seven. Dorsey would pitch one inning and did not allow a run on one hit while striking out three.

GAME TWO: Ohio 7, Akron 1
The Bobcats started working early to attempt to get on the board. In the top of the first winning, Holland cranked a double to center field. However, she would be erased from the bases when Geno hit into a fielder’s choice. With two outs, Mikayla Cooper (Delaware, Ohio) would draw a walk, however, Natalie Alvarez (Long Beach, Calif.) would hit into a fielder’s choice, ending the inning with the game scoreless.

After starter Dorsey sent the Zips down in order in the bottom of the first and then struck out the side in both the bottom of the second and third inning, the Bobcats finally got the offense going in the top of the fourth inning. Cooper would lead the inning off by drawing a walk, and then advance to second when an illegal pitch was called on the Akron pitcher. She then moved to third when Alvarez laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt. Claytor would get Cooper home one batter later when she recorded a sacrifice fly to right field, giving Ohio a 1-0 lead.

The Bobcats’ offense wasn’t done and with two outs, Ohio would open the game up. MacKenzie Brunswick (Bellefontaine, Ohio) would crush a single up the middle. Then, Casie Hutchinson (Lebanon, Ohio) would record an infield single, putting runners on first and second. Still with two outs, Taylor Saxton (Circleville, Ohio) would load the bases when she reached first on a single to the shortstop. Alex Day (Hilliard, Ohio) would then come to the plate and take the first pitch she saw and rocket it to right center for a double, clearing the bases. Day would be thrown out trying to stretch the hit to a triple, but the damage would already be done and Ohio would lead 4-0 going into the bottom of the fourth.

Dorsey would send the Zips down in order again in the bottom of the fourth and the Bobcats would go back to work in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Cooper would crank a double to right center and would score when Alvarez singled to left center. Alvarez would be replaced on the bases by Brittany Keen (Perth, Western Australia). Keen would move to second when Claytor would draw a walk. Brunswick would then crush a double of her own to right center, scoring Keen from second and giving Ohio a 6-0 lead going to the bottom of the fifth.

Akron would register their first base runner of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning when with one out, Kayla Schlosser would reach on a fielding error. Then with two outs, Sims would single to left field, scoring Schlosser and make the score 6-1.

Ohio would add one more in the top of the seventh inning when with one out, Cooper would register her second double of the game. Alvarez would then walk and both would advance a base on a passed ball. Then just as she did in the fourth inning, Claytor would hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Cooper and giving Ohio a 7-1 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Dorsey would get all three Akron batters to fly out to center field, ending the game and giving the Bobcats a 7-1 victory.

In the circle, Dorsey (16-6) picked up where she left off earlier in the week, pitching all seven innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit. She did not walk a batter and struck out 12 while efficiently throwing 92 pitches, with 67 of them being strikes.

At the plate, the Bobcats scored seven runs on nine hits. Cooper led the way, going 2-for-2 with three runs scored, two doubles and walked twice. Brunswick went 2-for-4 with a run scored and one RBI. Day added a double and three RBI and Holland also had a double. Alvarez went 1-for-2 with a single, RBI and a run scored. Hutchinson added a hit and a run scored, as did Saxton. Claytor registered two RBI and drew a walk.

UP NEXT:
The Bobcats will wrap up the three-game series with Akron on Saturday, April 15 for one game. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Lee R. Jackson Field.

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