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Box Score (PDF) 

ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio softball team (13-13, 9-8 MAC) returned home on Friday (April 16) afternoon defeating Bowling Green (15-17, 7-10 MAC), 4-3 on a walk-off homerun from Graduate student second baseman Mikenzie Vaughn (Kennesaw, Ga.) in the bottom of the ninth inning. 

"Grit," said third-year head coach Kenzie Roark. "That's what I said to them at the end. We pulled that one out. That was just grit. A lot of things didn't go our way today, and it didn't matter. We just kept fighting."

Bowling Green out-hit Ohio 7-6. The Bobcats were led at the plate by senior shortstop Katie Yun (North Canton, Ohio) who went 2-for-3, with two homeruns, three RBI and two runs scored. Vaughn drove in the game-winning run in the ninth on a solo homerun to center, while senior centerfielder Allie Englant (Long Beach, Calif.) went 2-for-4 and scored a run. 

The Bobcats got on the board first in the first inning. Yun launched her first homerun of the day over the right field wall, giving the Bobcats a 1-0 lead. 

The Falcons plated a pair in the fifth inning, going up 2-1. A solo homerun to center field from Madi McCoy in the sixth extended the Falcons' lead to two.

The Bobcats battled back in the sixth inning tying the game at three. A leadoff bunt put Englant on first to get things started. Yun hit her second home run of the day, a rocket to left field to tie the game.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Vaughn hit the walk-off solo homerun to centerfield, her eighth homerun of the season. 

"As soon as it hit the bat, I had a good feeling about it," said Roark. "She worked a good count, 3-1, and I knew it as soon as it hit the bat."

In the circle, senior Madi McCrady (Brimfield, Ohio) earned her seventh win of the season, pitching all nine innings, striking out seven, and allowing three runs on seven hits. For the Falcons, redshirt freshman Payton Gottshall earned the start, going the distance and allowing four runs on eight hits while striking out seven. 

"(McCrady) showed grit in really tough situations and it was a complete team win," said Roark. "Play seven innings. Compete every pitch. Every out. Every at-bat. Defensively, offensively, all of it. Keep competing."

The Bobcats continue the series with Bowling Green with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 17 at Ohio Softball Field. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. ET. 

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