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Game One Box Score (PDF) | Game Two Box Score (PDF)

ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio softball team (8-7, 4-2 MAC) split its doubleheader against Western Michigan (5-14, 1-5 MAC) on Friday (March 26) at the Ohio Softball Field. Ohio won the first game by a score of  4-2 and suffered a setback in a 10-8 loss in the second game of the doubleheader. 

GAME ONE: Ohio 4, Western Michigan 2

Senior shortstop Katie Yun (North Canton, Ohio) and freshman Annalia Paoli (Point Marion, Pa.) knocked in all four of the Bobcats' runs on back-to-back doubles that gave each two RBI in the third inning.

Yun started the scoring with her double that scored senior outfielder Allie Englant (Long, Beach Calif.) and sophomore Alex Dawe (Valley Springs, Calif.). She was brought home on the next at-bat by Paoli, who doubled to center field to bring in Yun and another scorer.

The Broncos answered in the next two innings, scoring a run in each the fourth and fifth, but couldn't muster enough offense to tie up the game.

Junior pitcher Mackensie Kohl (Corona Del Mar, Calif.) earned her fifth-straight win in the circle for the Bobcats. She pitched a full seven innings, allowing eight hits and two earned runs with four strikeouts and no walks.

While Western Michigan outhit the Bobcats, 8-5, they weren't able to bring in many runs against Kohl, who stranded five batters. She stranded the tying run on first base in the top of the fifth inning by forcing a fly out to first base. Kohl only allowed one baserunner in the last two innings to cap off her fifth win in a row.

For Western Michigan, freshman Rissa Bajusz took the circle and gave up four runs on five hits with three strikeouts.

Freshman outfielder Emily Walker (Plain City, Ohio) stole her third base of the season in the third inning.

GAME TWO: Ohio 10, Western Michigan 8

The Bobcats fell on the wrong side of the scoreboard of a back-and-forth game that featured two late lead changes and three ties.

Ohio fell behind early when the Broncos brought in two runs with two outs in the first inning. Junior first baseman Caroline Spacek (Beaumont, Texas) answered back in the second inning with a bunt that scored junior right fielder Caitlin Fogue (Columbia, Mo.).

Western Michigan extended its lead and the fourth and fifth innings and held it until the bottom of the fifth inning, where the Bobcats scored four runs to take a 5-4 advantage.

Dawe started Ohio's big inning with a single that scored two runs from Englant and freshman outfielder Emily Walker (Plain City, Ohio). Graduate student Mikenzie Vaughn (Kennesaw, Ga.) brought in another run with a double, then Yun doubled to bring her in and end the scoring. Ohio took advantage of two errors in the inning that resulted in a slim lead.

The Broncos answered back with four runs in the top of the sixth inning which was met by an immediate response in the bottom of the inning by Ohio.

After Taylor Garey reached first base on an error by the Bobcats, Western Michigan scored four unearned runs to take a commanding 8-5 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, Vaughan batted in two more runs with a single to start the scoring. She finished with three RBI and a run, batting 2-for-4 in the second game of the doubleheader. Paoli batted in the next run with a single. Paoli batted 1-for-4 with a hit and RBI.

Senior pitcher Madi McCrady (Brimfield, Ohio) started in the circle for the Bobcats. She pitched for five and two-thirds innings, giving up eight runs, three earned, on nine hits and striking out three batters. Sophomore Holly Brehm (Mullens, W. Va) came in relief in the sixth inning and gave up two runs. Brehm took the loss, mobbing her record to 0-2.

The Bobcats were outhit by the Broncos, 12-10. Ohio left nine runners on base in the loss.

UP NEXT

The Bobcats return to action on Saturday (March 27) for another doubleheader against the Broncos.