Game One PDF Boxscore | Game Two PDF Boxscore
KENT, Ohio – Led by Savannah Jo Dorsey in the circle, the Ohio softball team (25-8, 6-2 MAC) split a mid-week Mid-American Conference matchup with Kent State (14-19, 4-4 MAC) on Tuesday (April 4). The Bobcats took game one of the series, 6-0. Ohio would fall in game two by the final of 7-1. The deciding game of the three-game series will take place on Wednesday, April 12 in Athens.
GAME ONE: Ohio 6, Kent State 0
The Bobcats struck first in the top of the first inning when Alex Day (Hilliard, Ohio) led the game off with a single down the right field line. Day then advanced to second on ground out. Then with one out, Morgan Geno (Chillicothe, Ohio) singled up the middle, scoring Day. Later in the inning, Natalie Alvarez (Long Beach, Calif.) would reach on a fielding error, however the Bobcats would only get one run in the inning and go to the bottom of the frame leading 1-0.
Kent State would get a runner on in the bottom of the frame when Maddy Grimm singled with two outs, however she would not score and the Bobcats would lead 1-0 after one.
After a quiet inning from the Bobcats in the top of the second inning, Kent State would get a runner on again when Janel Hayes walked. However, starter Dorsey (Grove City, Ohio) would get the next two batters to strike out swinging, leaving the runner stranded at second.
Ohio would add on in the top of the third. After Day led off with a single to left field, she would advance to second when Alvarez walked. With two outs, Mikayla Cooper (Delaware, Ohio) would then single through the left side, scoring Day. Alexa Holland (Rochester, Ind.) would then reach first on a fielding error, loading the bases, but the Bobcats would not get another run and Ohio would lead 2-0.
After a quiet bottom of the third and fourth for Kent State, with Dorsey sending the Flashes down in order in both innings, the Bobcats added on in the top of the fifth inning. Jamie Wren (Whittier, Calif.) led the inning off with a single to right field, however she would be out at second when Geno hit into a fielder’s choice. Geno would be replaced on the bases by Alexis Milesky (Plain City, Ohio), who advanced to second on a fielding error. Then with two outs, Cooper would double to left center, scoring Milesky and giving Ohio a 3-0 lead.
After Dorsey struck out the side in the bottom of fifth, the Bobcats would get another runner on in the top of the sixth when Taylor Saxton (Circleville, Ohio) reached first on an infield single. However, she would not score and Ohio would hold the 3-0 lead.
After Dorsey struck out the side again in the bottom of the sixth, Ohio added on in the seventh inning. Wren led the inning off with a double down the right field line and would advance to third on a Geno single to through the right side. Wren would then score when Alvarez crushed a single up the middle. Cooper would then be hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs, setting up Holland to draw a walk, allowing Geno to score. Ohio would add on one more run in the inning when Madison Claytor (Alpharetta, Ga.) hit into a double play, allowing Alvarez to score from third and giving Ohio a 6-0 lead at the end of the inning.
Kent State would attempt to get some runs in the bottom of the seventh when Grimm reached on a bunt single, however she would be erased from the bases when Bailey Brownfield reached on a fielder’s choice. With one out, Ronnie Ladines would draw a walk, putting runners on first and second. Kristyn Eckl would then reach after she was hit by a pitch to load the bases. However, Dorsey would get the final two batters to strike out swinging, giving Ohio the 6-0 win.
At the plate, Ohio scored six runs on 10 hits. Day went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Cooper when 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Wren would go 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Geno would add two hits, a run scored and an RBI. Alvarez would add a hit, run and RBI, while Saxton also added a hit for the Bobcats.
In the circle, Dorsey was masterful, pitching all seven innings and did not allow a run on two hits, while only walking two and striking out 15. In the game, Dorsey recorded her 1,000 career strikeout.
GAME TWO:
After a quick inning for Ohio in the top of the first, Kent State would strike first in the bottom of the first. Allie Luther would reach first after she was hit by a pitch. She would be erased from the bases on a fielder’s choice by Emily Dobbin. Then with one out, Grimm would hit a two run home run to right center, putting Kent State up 2-0. The Flashes would continue to threaten when Brownfield reached on a base hit. Then with a runner on, Dorsey would enter the game in the circle, and after Ladines would reach on a hit, Dorsey would get the next two batters out and Kent State would lead 2-0 after one.
After Dorsey would send the Flashes down in order in the bottom of the second, the Bobcats would get their first base runner of the game when Saxton reached first on a single to shallow left field, however she would not score and Kent State would lead 2-0 after the end of the inning.
The Flashes added a run in the bottom of the third when Dobbin and Grimm hit back-to-back home runs, putting Kent State up 4-0.
Ohio would start to chip away at the lead in the top of the fourth inning, when with one out, Geno took the first pitch she saw and crushed it to right center for her seventh homerun of the year. The Bobcats would attempt to add on, with Alvarez and Cooper both drawing walks to put runners on first and second with one out. However, Holland would hit into a double play to end the inning, sending the Bobcats to the bottom of the frame trailing 4-1.
Kent State added on in the bottom of the fifth inning when Ladines hit a two-run home run to center field, followed by a home run by Jen Cader, putting the Flashes up 7-1.
The Bobcats would attempt to add some runs in the top of the sixth inning, when with two outs, Geno would single up the middle. She would then be replaced on the bases by MacKenzie Brunswick (Bellefontaine, Ohio). Alvarez would then single up the middle, putting runners on first and second. However, the Bobcats would be unable to get a run across, sending the game to the bottom of the sixth with the Flashes leading 7-1.
The Bobcats would try to rally in the top of the seventh inning, Holland led the inning off with a base hit. She then advanced to second when Claytor roped a single, putting runners on first and second with no outs. However, the Bobcats would be unable to score and Ohio would fall by the final of 7-1.
In the circle, Danielle Stiene (Loveland, Ohio) got the start and in total pitched 1.2 innings, allowing two runs on two hits and striking out three. Dorsey pitched 4.1 innings, allowing five runs on six hits and striking out nine.
At the plate, the Bobcats scored one run on six hits. Geno went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Alvarez, Holland, Claytor and Saxton all added hits for the Bobcats.
UP NEXT:
The Bobcats return to Athens to begin a four-game home stand starting on Friday, April 7 against MAC West foe Ball State. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at the Ohio Softball Field. The Bobcats will conclude the series with Ball State on Saturday, April 8 with a doubleheader set to begin at 1 p.m. at the OSF.
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