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Game One PDF Boxscore | Game Two PDF Boxscore

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Helped by a career day from Brooke Rice, the Ohio softball team (4-8) opened the Charleston Invitational Friday (Feb. 21), sweeping the day's competition. The Bobcats defeated Army (5-7), 8-4 in the opening game, before walking off against N.C. Central (0-5) later in the evening, 7-6. 

GAME ONE: Ohio 8, Army 4
The Bobcats struck in the top of the first inning. Junior Allie Englant (Long Beach, Calif.) drew a walk to lead off the game and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After junior Katie Yun (North Canton, Ohio) reached on an error, junior Ava Heidorn (Marysville, Ohio) flew out to center, allowing Englant to score from first. With two outs, freshman Molly Troutman (Gahanna, Ohio) singled to right, scoring Yun and gave Ohio a 2-0 lead going to the bottom of the inning. 

After a scoreless bottom of the first inning from Army, Ohio threatened again in the top of the second inning. Junior Brooke Rice (Mason, Ohio) singled to left. Senior Alexa Holland (Rochester, Ind.) reached on an error and Englant reached on a fielder's choice. After freshman Alexis Dawe (Valley Springs, Calif.) singled to load the bases, Army was able to work out of the jam, sending the game to the bottom of the inning with Ohio still leading, 2-0. 

After a scores bottom of the second and top of the third, Army struck in the bottom of the third inning, scoring three runs on three hits and one error to take a 3-2 lead after three innings. 

Ohio responded in the top of the fourth inning. Rice led the inning off with a double to right center, followed by a single from Holland. After Englant drew a walk to load the bases, Dawe singled to center, scoring Rice and Holland, putting Ohio up, 4-2. The Bobcats added on later in the inning. Heidorn singled to right, before sophomore Caitlin Fogue (Columbia, Mo.) reached on an error, scoring Englant, giving Ohio a 5-3 lead going into the bottom of the fourth inning. 

After the Ohio defense sent Army down in order in the bottom of the fourth, Ohio was unable to capitalize on a baserunner in the top of the fifth inning. In the bottom of the frame, starting pitcher junior Madi McCrady (Brimfield, Ohio) worked out of a runners on second and third, no out, jam to send the game to the sixth inning with Ohio still leading, 5-3.  

After a scoreless top of the sixth inning for the Bobcats, Army got a run in the bottom of the frame, cutting Ohio's lead to 5-4 going into the top of the seventh inning. 

Ohio slammed the door on Army in the top of the seventh inning. Rice reached first on a single, her third hit of the day. Freshman Sophia Bernard (Canton, Ohio) reached on a fielder's choice. After Englant singled to put runners on first and second with one out, Yun singled and then advanced to second on a throw, all while Holland, who re-entered the game for Bernard, scored. Heidorn then doubled to center, scoring Englant and Yun, giving Ohio an 8-4 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning. 

Army got a baserunner on a lead-off single, however, McCrady recorded the next two outs and then struck out the final batter to seal Ohio's 8-4 victory. 

Overall, Ohio scored eight runs on 13 hits and committing two errors, while Army scored four runs on 11 hits, while committing four errors. 

Heidorn finished the game 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI, while Rice finished the game 3-for-4 with a double and one run scored. Dawe recorded two hits and two RBI, while Englant registered a hit and three runs scored. Yun registered a hit with an RBI and two runs scored, while Troutman had a hit and an RBI and Fogue registered a hit. Holland also finished the game with a hit and two runs scored. 

In the circle, McCrady picked up her second win of the season, pitching all seven innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on 11 hits. McCrady then walked one and struck out four. 

GAME TWO: Ohio 7, N.C. Central 6
N.C. Central struck first in the top of the first inning, scoring two runs on one hit and one error. The Bobcats responded in the bottom of the inning. Englant led off with a singled to center and then stole second. Dawe then singled and moved to second on the throw, putting runners on second and third with no outs. Yun then grounded out, scoring Englant to put the Bobcats on the board. Dawe scored moments later on a ground out by Heidorn, tying the game at 2-2. 

After N.C. Central put two runners on with no outs, the Ohio defense got out of the jam, sending the game to the bottom of the inning still tied at 2-2. 

After a scoreless bottom of the second for Ohio, N.C. Central scored four runs on one hit and three errors, giving them a 6-2 lead going to the bottom of the inning. 

Ohio threatened in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sophomore Caroline Spacek (Beaumont, Texas) single through the right side, followed by a single from Rice. After a sacrifice bunt from Holland to put runners on second and third. However, the Bobcats were unable to score, sending the game to the fifth inning with the Bobcats trailing, 6-2. 

After a scoreless top of the inning for N.C. Central, Ohio attempted to get a run back in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Yun reached on a single. However, Ohio was unable to score, sending the game to the top of the sixth inning with Ohio trailing, 6-2. 

After N.C. Central went down in order in the top of the sixth inning, Ohio struck again in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Spacek drew a walk setting up a two-run homerun from Rice, cutting the N.C. Central lead to 6-2 going into the seventh inning. 

After N.C. Central stranded runners in the top of the seventh inning, the Bobcats entered the bottom of the frame looking to overcome the two-run deficit. 

With one out, Yun singled up the middle. Then with two outs, Troutman was hit by a pitch, followed by Fogue, who was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Spacek then reached first on an error by the center fielder, scoring Yun and Troutman to tie the game at 6-6. Rice then stepped to the plate, one inning removed from her homerun, and roped a single through the left side, scoring Fogue and sending the Bobcats away as the 7-6 victors.

Overall, Ohio scored seven runs on nine hits while committing four errors, while N.C. Central scored six runs on seven hits and committed one error. 

Overall, Rice went 3-for-4 with a homerun, one run scored and three RBI. Yun finished the game with two hits, one RBI and one run scored. Englant finished with a hit and a run scored, as did Dawe. Troutman and Spacek also finished the game with a hit and a run scored. 

In the circle, freshman Holly Brehm (Mullens, W. Va.) got the start, pitching 2.2. innings, while allowing six runs, two earned, on four hits, while walking five and striking out four. Redshirt sophomore Baylie Thornhill (Baton Rouge, La.) entered the game and pitched 4.1 innings, allowing no runs on three hits, while not walking a batter and striking out three. 

UP NEXT
The Bobcats are back in action on Saturday, Feb. 22 at the 2020 Charleston Invitational. Ohio takes on Dartmouth at 2:30 p.m., before concluding the day against Charleston Southern at 7 p.m. Fans will be able to check out Ohio's game against Charleston Southern on ESPN+. 

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