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BOCA RATON, Fla. — The Ohio softball team (1-1) opened the program's 50th season with a double-header at the FAU Paradise Classic today (Feb. 9). The Bobcats started the day with a dominant 9-0 win over Michigan State in five innings before falling to No. 12 Arkansas, 7-3, in the second game.
GAME ONE: Ohio 9 - Michigan State 0 (5 Innings)
The Bobcats kicked off their season firing on all cylinders. Every Bobcat reached base, helping Ohio total nine runs on nine hits while shutting out Michigan State and holding the Spartans to three hits.
Offensively, junior Emma Hoffner (New Stanton, Pa.), senior Yasmine Logan (Pittsburgh, Pa.), sophomore Austy Miller (Bradford, Ohio), and freshman Izzie Wilson (Delaware, Ohio) all recorded RBIs. Logan's second inning grand-slam gave her four RBI, while Wilson, who was 3-for-3 in her collegiate debut, cleared the wall for a two-run home run in the fifth inning.
Ohio jumped out to an early lead with Logan scoring off of Hoffner's single in the first. The Bobcats extended their lead to seven in the second inning. A grand-slam beyond the left field fence from Logan gave Ohio a five-run advantage. A two-run double from Austy Miller just moments later helped Ohio grow the lead to seven.
In the fifth inning, a two-run home run from Wilson cemented the Bobcats' lead. While the Spartans threatened to get on the board in the bottom half of the frame, redshirt sophomore pitcher Skipp Miller (Bradford, Ohio) induced an infield pop up to stifle the Spartan offense, securing the 9-0 victory in five innings by way of the run rule.
Skipp Miller shined in her season debut coming off of her stellar freshman campaign. The reigning MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year recorded her fourth-career complete game shutout, while recording three strikeouts and limiting the Spartans to just three hits and one walk.
GAME TWO: Arkansas 7 - Ohio 3
In the second game of the day, Ohio faced off against Arkansas who entered as the 12th-ranked team in the country. The Bobcats were unable to build off their opening win, falling to the Razorbacks 7-3. Arkansas used 10 hits to score their seven runs, while Ohio had three runs from five hits and an Arkansas error.
Individually, four Bobcats picked up hits with Hoffner and sophomore Shelby Westler (Marion, Ohio) picking up RBI. In the circle for Ohio, sophomore Keegan Moore (South Point, Ohio) got the start, striking out one Razorback in 1.1 innings of work. Freshman Mikie Lieving (New Haven, W. Va.) had a strong collegiate debut, pitching 3.2 innings with four strikeouts and just one earned run. Junior Ellie Greene (Attica, Mich.) held the Razorbacks scoreless in the final two frames of the game.
Arkansas scored two runs in the first, four in the second, and one in the third to pick up their seven runs. Ohio capitalized late in the game to get on the board. Hoffner doubled down the right field line to pick up her second RBI of the day to give the Bobcats their first run of the game. Westler added to the scoring with a single through the left side. Her base hit scored graduate student Alexis Dawe (Valley Springs, Calif.) while Hoffner advanced home on an error.
UP NEXT
Ohio will continue the FAU Paradise Classic with another double-header tomorrow, Feb. 10. The Bobcats will open the day with a matchup against Penn State, scheduled to start at 3:45 p.m. Ohio will then face off with the hosts of the tournament, Florida Atlantic. The Bobcats' battle with the Owls is set to start at 6:00 pm.
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