Final Stats

Game One PDF Boxscore | Game Two PDF Boxscore 

ATHENS, Ohio – Led by Natalie Alvarez’s three home runs and seven RBI, the Ohio softball team swept Mid-American Conference East foe Miami in a doubleheader Friday evening (April 28) at the Ohio Softball Field. The Bobcats downed the RedHawks 9-1 in six innings in game one, and came back in the second game to defeat Miami 10-4 in game two. With the doubleheader sweep, the Bobcats are now in first place in the MAC East.

“In the first game, everyone had a hit in the line up, if not multiple and with some type of contribution all around,” head coach Jodi Hermanek said. “Big eyes today, big swings today and timely hitting. We kept the momentum going and it was just exciting. And today Natalie was big. Not just little bombs, but big bombs. She’s just seeing the ball well and she had a great approach today. She was aggressive and she got all of it in every swing that she got.”

GAME ONE: Ohio 9, Miami 1 (Six Innings)
After starter Savannah Jo Dorsey (Grove City, Ohio) sent Miami down in order in the top of the first, the Bobcats struck first in the bottom of the inning. Mikayla Cooper (Delaware, Ohio) led the inning off by getting hit by a pitch, however she would be caught stealing moments later. Alexa Holland (Rochester, Ind.) would then reach first on a single over the third baseman’s head. With two outs, Alex Day (Hilliard, Ohio) would draw a walk, bringing Natalie Alvarez (Long Beach, Calif.) to the plate with runners on first and second. Alvarez would then take a 2-2 pitch and absolutely crush it to straight away center over the scoreboard for her second home run of the season, to give Ohio an early 3-0 lead.

Miami would get a base runner on in the top of the second inning, when with two outs, Kat Lee would reach first on a single to third base. However, Dorsey would get the next batter to strike out to end the inning with Ohio still leading 3-0.

The Bobcats would threaten in the bottom of the second when Madison Claytor (Alpharetta, Ga.) led off with a sharp single up the middle. She would then advance to second on a perfect sacrifice bunt from MacKenzie Brunswick (Bellefontaine, Ohio). Taylor Saxton (Circleville, Ohio) would then reach first on an infield single, putting runners on first and second with one out. Unfortunately, the Bobcat offense would be unable to get her around and the game would go to the third inning with the Bobcats leading 3-0.

Miami would get a base runner in the top of the third inning, when with one out Erin McCarver reached first after she was hit by a pitch. However, Dorsey would get the next two batters to strike out, stranding the runner at first.

The Bobcats would threaten to add on again in the bottom of the third inning when with one out, Day would draw her second walk of the game. Then with two outs, Jamie Wren (Whittier, Calif.) would rope a single to right field. However, the Miami right fielding would throw Day out at third, ending the inning with the Bobcats leading 3-0.

After a clean inning from the Bobcat defense in the top of the frame, Ohio added on in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Brunswick would get a hold of a ball and crush it to center field for her second home run of the season, putting Ohio up 4-0. The Bobcats would try to add on when with two outs, Cooper would double to left field. She would then advance to third when Holland reached on her second infield hit of the game. However, Miami starter Shannon Hohman would get Moran Geno (Chillicothe, Ohio) to end the inning with a hard line out to the shortstop to end the inning with Ohio leading 4-0.

Miami would get a run on the board in the top of the fifth inning. Jenna Jones would lead the inning off by drawing a walk. She would then score when Haeley Tran reached first on a fielder’s choice and the Bobcat third baseman would throw the ball into centerfield in an attempt to get the lead runner. Tran would then advance to second on the error and it would put a runner on second with no outs. Dorsey would get the next batter to strike out and then Tran would move to third on a sacrifice bunt from Megan Wurts. Dorsey would get the next Miami batter to strike out, stranding the runner at third with the Bobcats still leading 4-1.

The Bobcats would get the run back in the bottom of the frame when Day would lead off with a double to left center. She would then score when Alvarez doubled to left center, putting Ohio up 5-1. Dallas Messenger (Bellaire, Ohio) would then enter the game to run for Alvarez and advance to third on a passed ball. With one out, Claytor would draw a walk, putting runners on first and third. Unfortunately, Hohman would get the Bobcat batter to hit into a ground ball double play to end the inning with the Bobcats leading 5-1 after five innings.

Miami would threaten in the top of the sixth inning when with two outs Michaela Schlattman would draw a walk. She would then advance to second when Lee reached on a fielding error by the Bobcats. However, Dorsey would get Jones to hit into a fielder’s choice, getting Schlattman out on the force at third, sending the game to the bottom of the sixth with Ohio leading 5-1.

The Bobcats would add on in the bottom of the sixth inning. Saxton would lead the inning off with a hard hit single up the middle. She would then steal second for her 70^th career stolen base, moving her into second all-time in Ohio history in stolen bases. Holland would then reach first on a Miami fielding error. Then with no outs, Geno would smash a double to left center scoring Saxton and Holland, giving Ohio a 7-1 lead. Alexis Milesky (Plain City, Ohio) would then enter to run for Geno.

The Bobcats weren’t done yet. With two outs, Alvarez would draw a walk, putting runners on first and second. Wren would then single, scoring Milesky from second. Wren would advance to second on the throw home and with two outs the Bobcats would have runners on second and third. Claytor would then come to the plate and deliver the game-ending RBI single, scoring Alvarez from third and giving Ohio the 9-1 run rule victory.

In the circle, Dorsey would pitch six innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit and struck out 13 on her way to her 19^th win of the season.

At the plate, Ohio scored nine runs on 14 hits. Alvarez led the way, going 2-for-3 with four RBI, a home run, double and a walk. Holland went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Claytor went 2-for-3 with the game-ending RBI. Saxton went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Wren also added two hits and an RBI. Cooper when 1-for-3 with a double and Geno went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Day added a double and two runs scored and Brunswick added a solo home run for the Bobcats.

GAME TWO: Ohio 10, Miami 4
Miami would strike first in the top of the first when Kaitlyn Gliha hit a solo home run to left center, giving the RedHawks a 1-0 lead after the top of the first.

The Bobcats would respond in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Holland would single up the middle. Then with one out, Geno would deliver a single and then advance to second on a throw, putting runners at second and third. Day would then score Holland with a sacrifice fly to left field, tying the game at 1-1 after one inning.

Miami would retake the lead in the top of the second inning when Schlattman would reach on a single to shallow right center. She would then move to second on a sacrifice bunt from Lee. Schlattman would move to third on a passed ball and then would score on a sacrifice fly from Rylee Whispel, putting the RedHawks up 2-1 entering the bottom of the second.

The Bobcats would take the lead in the bottom of the second inning. Wren would draw a walk to lead off the inning. She would then score when Claytor reached on a throwing error. Claytor would then move to second on a sacrifice bunt from Brunswick. Then with one out, Saxton would reach base on a single and then advance to second on the throw, putting runners on first and third. Cooper would then come to bat and crush a two-RBI double to right center, clearing the bases and giving Ohio a 4-2 lead. The Cooper double would chase the Miami starter, Jamie Scher from the game, bringing in Carly Mortensen. Mortensen would get the next two batters to fly out on spectacular plays from the Miami defense, sending the game to the third with Ohio now leading 4-2.

Miami would get a run back in the top of the third inning when with two outs, Johniann Wahl would hit a home run to center field, cutting the Ohio lead to 4-3 entering the bottom of the third inning.

Ohio would get the run back and then some in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Alvarez would crush her third home run of the season, and second of the day, to left center. Wren reach base on a single and still with one out, Claytor would smash her eighth home run of the season to left field, giving Ohio a 7-3 lead. The Bobcats tried to add on as the inning continued. Still with one out, Brunswick would draw a walk and then advance to second on a Saxton single to left field. Brunswick would move to third when Cooper flew out to center field. Then with two outs, the Miami would defense would get the final Bobcat batter out and Ohio would go to the fourth leading 7-3.

After the Bobcat defense put together two clean innings, Ohio would add on in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, Brunswick would single to left field. She would then advance to second when Saxton grounded out on a close play at first. Then with two outs, Cooper would deliver an RBI single to center, extending the Ohio lead to 8-3 after five innings.

Miami would try to get a run on in the top of the sixth inning when Gilha would lead the inning off with a single to the shortstop. Starter Danielle Stiene (Loveland, Ohio) would then get the next batter to strike out, followed by the next batter lining out into a double play to end the inning and send the game to the bottom of the sixth with the Bobcats leading 8-3.

Ohio would add on in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, Day would draw a walk. Then, Alvarez would come to the plate and crush her second home run of the game and third of the day over the left field wall onto the roof of the batting cages, putting Ohio up 10-3. Ohio would try to add on after the home run when Wren would single. However, the Miami defense would be able to work out of the jam and send the game to the top of the seventh with Ohio leading 10-3.

Miami would get one more run in the game, when with one out in the top of the seventh inning, Lee would hit a home run to left center, cutting the Bobcat lead to 10-4. However, Stiene and the defense would get the next two batters out and seal the 10-4 victory.

In the circle, Stiene would get the start and would settle in after the first three innings. Overall, Stiene pitched seven innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out five on her way to her 11^th win of the season.

At the plate, the Bobcats’ offense picked up where it left off in the first game, scoring 10 runs on 12 hits. Alvarez led the way, going 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBI. Wren went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Cooper when 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Saxton also went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Claytor would add a home run, two RBI and two runs scored, while Holland, Geno and Brunswick all added hit for the Bobcats as well.

UP NEXT:
The Bobcats return to the Ohio Softball Field for the final time in 2017 on Saturday, April 29 when they conclude the three-game series with Miami. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. Saturday will also be Senior Day, so get there early and help celebrate the careers of Alexis Milesky, Casie Hutchinson, Madison Claytor and Savannah Jo Dorsey.

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