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ATHENS. Ohio – Thanks to solo home runs by Madison Claytor and Mikayla Cooper, and solid pitching from Danielle Stiene, the Ohio softball team (26-10, 7-4 MAC) defeated Mid-American Conference leading Ball State (25-18, 9-2 MAC), 3-2, Sunday afternoon. The win snapped the Cardinals eight-game winning streak.

“We came out with some solid contact today and it was great getting timely hits,” head coach Jodi Hermanek said. “And it was great to get that leadoff triple by Taylor Saxton. I’m just proud of them for erasing yesterday and knowing that they’re still going to swing and still get good at bats to get those timely hits that we didn’t get yesterday.

After an uneventful first inning and a half, the Bobcats got runners on the bases in the bottom of the second inning starting when Cooper (Delaware, Ohio) reached first after she was hit by a pitch. She then moved to second when Natalie Alvarez (Long Beach, Calif.) drew a walk, placing runners on first and second with no outs. Unfortunately, the Bobcat offence would be unable to get a runner around and the score would remain tied at 0-0 entering the top of the third.

After Ball State got a runner on in the top of the third on a walk, starter Stiene would send the game to the bottom of the inning still tied at 0-0. Then in the bottom of the frame, the Bobcats finally struck. Taylor Saxton (Circleville, Ohio) led the inning off with a triple, her first of the season, to the center field wall. Alex Day (Hilliard, Ohio) then drew a walk, placing runners on first and third with no outs. Day would be erased from the bases after Jamie Wren (Whittier, Calif.) hit into a fielder’s choice. Then with one out, Morgan Geno (Chillicothe, Ohio) crushed a ball to deep left center that was caught, however it allowed Saxton to score.

Cooper would draw a walk to put runners on first and second, however Ball State starter, Alyssa Rothwell would get out of the jam and the Bobcats would go to the fourth inning up 1-0.

The Cardinals would get a runner on in the top of the fourth inning when Haley Dominique would lead off with a walk. However, with two outs, Claytor (Alpharetta, Ga.) would pair with Saxton to throw her out trying to steal second for the second out of the inning. Stiene would then get the next Ball State batter the foul out, ending the inning with the Bobcats leading 1-0.

The Bobcats would add on in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, Claytor would smash a solo home run, here fifth of the season, right past the left field foul pole, putting Ohio up 2-0. The Bobcats would try to add on when Saxton drew a walk and then advanced to third on a hard hit single to right field by Day, putting runners on first and third with two outs. The hit would chase Rothwell from the game and reliever Carolyn Wilmes would next Bobcat batter to ground out on the first pitch, and Ohio would lead 2-0 entering the fifth inning.

Ball State would try to make noise in the top of the fifth inning when with two outs, Madison Lee would register Ball State’s first hit of the game with a single through the left side. She would be replaced on the bases by pinch runner. Still with two outs, Brittany Hopper would draw a walk, putting runners on first and second. Stiene would get Olivia Huffman to line into a hard out to Day at third base, ending the inning and preserving Ohio’s 2-0 lead.

The Bobcats would add on in the bottom of the fifth inning, when with one out, Cooper took the first pitch she saw and smashed a laser to straight away center field for her fifth home run of the season, putting Ohio up 3-0.

The Bobcats offense would work to add on in the inning, with Alvarez registering a hit to left field, and then replaced on the bases by Brittany Keen (Perth, Western Australia). Keen would advance to second when Alexa Holland (Rochester, Ind.) reached on a Ball State fielding error. Keen would be erased from the bases when Claytor hit into a fielder’s choice, placing runners at first and scone with two outs. Wilmes would then get the next Bobcat batter to ground out, ending the inning with Ohio up 3-0.

Ball State would try to cut into the Bobcat lead in the top of the sixth inning when Maddy Labrador would lead the inning off by drawing a walk. She would then advance to send when Dominique grounded out to first. Stiene would then get Rachel Houck to fly out to left field and then, after just missing a home run to left field, Stiene would get Janae Hogg to fly out to center, ending the inning with Ohio up 3-0.

After the Bobcats went down in order in the bottom of the sixth, the Cardinals would make it interesting as they attempted to mount a rally in the top of the seventh. Danae King would lead the inning off with a single the right field and would be replaced on the bases by Cadie O’Donnell. Then Kennedy Wynn would follow that up with her own single to right, putting runners at first and second with no outs. Lee would then come to bat and register the third-straight single for Ball State, scoring King and moving Wynn to third, cutting the Ohio to 3-1.

Ball State wasn’t done, still with no outs, Hopper would hit into a fielder’s choice, getting Lee out at second, but in the process, scoring Wynn from third and moving within one run of the Bobcats. However, Stiene would settle in and get the final two batters out to send Ohio home with the 3-2 victory.

In the circle, Stiene (9-4) was solid, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out six in the complete game.

At the plate, the Bobcats scored three runs on five hits. Cooper led the way; going 1-for-1 with a home run, RBI, run scored, was hi by a pitch and drew a walk. Claytor added a hit, a home run, for the Bobcats and Saxton went 1-for-2 with a triple, a run scored and she drew a walk. Alvarez and Day both added hits for the Bobcats, while Geno added an RBI on a sacrifice fly.

Up next, the Bobcats will conclude their four-game home stand when they host MAC East foe Kent State on Wednesday, April 12 for the final and deciding game of the three game series. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at the Ohio Softball Field.

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