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

ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio softball team (9-8, 5-3 MAC) split their doubleheader with Western Michigan (6-15, 2-6 MAC) on Saturday (March 27) at the Ohio Softball Field. Ohio won the first game 8-5 but went on to drop the second 7-3.

GAME ONE: Ohio 8, Western Michigan 5

Six different Bobcats brought in runs to defeat Western Michigan, 8-5. Senior outfielder Allie Englant (Long Beach, Calif.), graduate student Mikenzie Vaughn (Kennesaw, Ga.) and senior catcher Brooke Rice (Mason, Ohio) all had two RBI in the win. Both Rice and Vaughn added doubles, while Englant was 3-for-4 with two runs scored. 

Senior shortstop Katie Yun (North Canton, Ohio) started the scoring for the Bobcats in the bottom of the third. With a single, Yun brought in senior outfielder Allie Englant (Long Beach, Calif.) and allowed sophomore Alexis Dawe (Valley Springs, Calif.) to advance to third. Dawe was then able to score off of an error in the following play. 

The Broncos answered in the next inning to tie the game but were immediately met by a response in the bottom half. A single to left field by Englant brought in freshman outfielder Emily Walker (Plain City, Ohio) and gave the Bobcats a 3-2 lead heading into the fifth.

A home run in the fifth brought in three runners for the Broncos, putting them on top for the first time. Ohio's offense punched back and scored five runs to seal the deal in the bottom of the inning.

Rice started the series of runs with a single that allowed junior infielder Caitlin Fogue (Columbia, Mo.) and freshman infielder Annalia Paoli (Point Marion, Pa.) to score. Next came freshman infielder Tori O'Brien (Mason, Ohio) off of a base hit from England, while a single from Vaughn brought in Englant and Dawe for the second time.

Junior pitcher Mackensie Kohl (Corona Del Mar, Calif.) started in the circle for the Bobcats. She tossed 4.0 innings before sophomore Holly Brehm (Mullens, W. Va.) took the mound. Brehm had three strikeouts with no walks or runs and allowed only three hits in 2.0 innings.

As for the Broncos, freshman Rissa Bajusz gave up seven runs on 10 hits with three walks and no strikeouts.

GAME TWO: Ohio 3, Western Michigan 7

Western Michigan got off to an early 3-0 lead over Ohio in the first. A homerun by Vaughn in the bottom half brought in three to tie the game and keep the Bobcats alive.

The Broncos came alive again in the fourth when a double to center field allowed them to score. Another run came from a base hit, putting Western Michigan up two over Ohio.

In the fifth, the Broncos extended their lead, 7-3, off of a double to left-center. The Bobcats were not able to respond in the remaining innings and ultimately fell to Western Michigan, 7-3.

UP NEXT

The Bobcats will return to action on Friday (April 2) at Kent State at 3 p.m.

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