Final Stats

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ATHENS, Ohio - Led by a walk-off RBI single by Jamie Wren in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Ohio softball team (30-14, 11-7 MAC) swept a three-game series over Mid-American Conference East foe Bowling Green (23-26, 9-9 MAC), winning 1-0. Along with extra innings, Savannah Jo Dorsey would take a no-hitter into the ninth inning on a windy Sunday (April 23) afternoon at the Ohio Softball Field.

"That was awesome," Dorsey said. "Getting the win and closing out this week was a big deal for today so that was good to see. We kept believing in everyone that walked up, and then when it was Jamie we just felt it. We knew she was going to close it."

Bowling Green would get the first base runner in the top of the first inning. With one out, Haley Schock was hit by a pitch. However, starter Savannah Jo Dorsey (Grove City, Ohio) would get the next two Falcons out, sending the game to the bottom of the first scoreless.

The Bobcats would threaten in the bottom of the frame. Mikayla Cooper (Delaware, Ohio) would lead the inning off with a double to right center. She would then move to third when Alexa Holland (Rochester, Ind.) reached first on a BGSU fielding error. With no outs, Holland would be caught stealing and then with one out, Copper would be thrown out at home when Morgan Geno (Chillicothe, Ohio) reached on a fielder's choice. Then with a runner on first and two outs, BGSU starter Meredith Miller would get the final Bobcat out and send the game to the second scoreless.

After an uneventful few innings, Bowling Green would get runners on in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, Aspen Searle would draw a walk. She would then be out at second when Chelsea Raker hit into a fielder's choice. Raker would then move to second on a Bobcat throwing error. However, Dorsey would get the next batter to strike out, getting out of the jam and sending the game to the fourth still scoreless.

After Dorsey sent the Falcons down in order in the top of the fifth, Ohio threatened in the bottom of the frame. Natalie Alvarez (Long Beach, Calif.) led the inning off with a double down the left field line. Alexis Milesky (Plain City, Ohio) would then enter the game to run for Alvarez. Unfortunately, Miller would work out of the jam and the game would go to the top of the sixth still tied at 0-0.

The Bobcats would try to get a run in the bottom of the sixth inning when with two outs, Holland reached first when she was hit by a pitch. Unfortunately, the Bobcats would be unable to get her around and the game would go to the top of the seventh still scoreless.

Bowling Green would get a runner on in the top of the seventh inning when Raker reached first after drawing a walk. However, Dorsey would get the next two Falcon batters to strike out and foul out to end the inning and send it to the bottom of the seventh still tied at 0-0.

Ohio would attempt to walk off in the bottom of the seventh, when with one out, Alvarez would reach base on a dropped ball by the BGSU left fielder. Brittany Keen (West Perth, Australia) would then enter to run for Alvarez. Then with two outs, Keen would steal second, putting the winning run in scoring position. However, the Bobcat offense would not get her around and the Bobcats and Falcons would go into the eighth inning still tied at 0-0.

After a quick inning from Dorsey and the Bobcats in the top of the eighth, the Bobcats would get their best opportunity in the bottom of the inning. When with two outs, Cooper crushed a double off the right field wall and then advanced to third on an error by the right fielder. However, Miller would get the next Bobcat batter to strike out, sending the game to the ninth.

Bowling Green would get their first hit of the game in the top of the ninth inning, marking the end of Dorsey's no-hitter game, when with two outs, Searle singled down the left field line to put one on base for the Falcons. Raker was next to bat and would be called out due to interference, sending the game to the bottom of the ninth.

Ohio would turn the game around in the bottom of the ninth inning. Geno was up first to bat and would double to right center to put one on for Ohio. Alex Day (Hilliard, Ohio) was next at the plate but grounded out to second base, allowing Geno to advance to third. Dallas Messenger (Bellaire, Ohio) would come in to pinch run for Geno as Wren (Whittier, Calif.) stepped up to the plate. Wren would smash the first pitch she saw to right center, allowing Messenger to score and secure the 1-0 win for Ohio.

"I'd be really happy if someone else got it as well," Wren said of the winning RBI single. "But it just came up to me and I just wanted to stay calm and get a base hit."

At the plate, Ohio scored one run on five hits. Cooper would record two hits while Geno, Alvarez and Wren each added one. Four of the Bobcats' five hits were extra base hits, with Geno, Alvarez and Cooper all hitting doubles.

In the circle, Dorsey was spectacular, going 8.2 innings without allowing a hit. In the end, Dorsey would pitch nine innings, allowing no runs on one hits would record 15 strikeouts on the day while also only walking two.

"I always know," Dorsey said about the on-going no-hitter. "I have a countdown in my head where you go for the perfect game and then it hits someone so then I go for the no-hitter and then I get one-hitter and then I go for the one-hitter and then the two-hitter. That way you kind of keep the hits under control. I knew the whole time but I kept wanting to get off the field sooner. It's kind of how I've always pitched so it's not too much pressure, the only pressure I feel from it is when it's like the bottom of the seventh and you know you have to have it. I never feel the pressure, but I do feel a relief if they get a hit in the first inning."

UP NEXT
Ohio will return home next weekend when it hosts MAC-foe Miami for a weekend series. The first game is set for Friday (April 28) at 5 p.m. at the Ohio Softball Field. A doubleheader will take place Saturday (April 29) starting at 2 p.m. Saturday will serve as Ohio's Senior Day.

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