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ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio Softball team split its double header with Central Michigan Friday afternoon (March 29). Central Michigan took game one 1-0 and Ohio took game two 4-1. 

Ohio's bats exploded in game two after a quiet start in game one. 

"I think we give a lot of feedback every at-bat like they talk to each other and the coaches are paying attention to what's going on and they are too," head coach Jenna Hall said. "It's just about adjusting our game plan as quick as possible. I think that's what we lacked in the first game. We didn't adjust, especially going up in the air, we were popping a lot of things up so I think tomorrow we can make that adjustment quicker on the first thing it's going to make a huge difference."

Game One: CMU 1, Ohio 0 
Redshirt sophomore Skipp Miller (Bradford, Ohio) knocked down Central Michigan in six pitches in the first inning despite allowing a lead-off single. 

The Bobcats took down the Chippewas in order in the top of the second, however they were unable to keep them off the board in the third. Abbey Tolmie knocked a single into right field for the lone run of the day. 

Ohio threatened in the bottom of the fifth and bottom of the seventh with runners in scoring position. Central Michigan kept Ohio's attacks at bay, though. 

Miller (7-11) pitched a complete game in which she allowed six hits and gave up two walks. She also collected two strikeouts, both in the top of the seventh. 

Three Bobcats collected hits in game one. Junior Lauren Yuhas (West Mifflin, Pa.), senior Yasmine Logan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and freshman Brenna Farmer (Mt. Blanchard, Ohio) each had a hit, with Yuhas' double being the lone extra-base hit. 

"The first game, (Grace Lehto) was jamming us hard on the hands. Last year when we faced her and even in some of our scouting, she threw a lot of low and away, so working up and then a little bit on the hands was kind of caught us off guard, but we're a good enough team to make adjustments. I'm excited to see us do it tomorrow," sophomore Shelby Westler (Marion, Ohio) said.  

Game Two: Ohio 4, CMU 1 
Both teams kept game two scoreless through the first three innings. Ohio's starter, freshman Mikie Lieving (New Haven, W. Va.), gave up her first two hits in the top of the third. However, Central Michigan never cashed in on the hits due to Ohio's quick defense. 

Ohio tried to break the stalemate in the bottom of the third. It put two runners on base after a walk by junior CiCi Keidel (Hilliard, Ohio) and a single by Yuhas. Ohio didn't get far though, as Central Michigan shut down the attempt on a lineout in the next at-bat. 

The Chippewas found their way on the board first again, this time in the top of the fourth. They scored on an error by Yuhas. Otherwise, Yuhas had a stellar day at second base with multiple diving plays. 

It wasn't long before Ohio found itself scoring, too. Ohio collected its first run on a pinch-hit single by senior Annalia Paoli (Point Marion, Pa.) to score Westler. In the next at-bat, senior Sydney Grein (Mokena, Ill.) knocked a single to left field to score junior Emma Hoffner (New Stanton, Pa.).

Paoli added the third and final run of the inning after Grein got herself into a rundown between first and second base. 

Despite having a two-run lead, Ohio added insurance in the bottom of the fifth inning on a solo home run to left field by Westler.

Lieving (6-4) ended the afternoon with a complete-game win. She struck out five Chippewas and did not walk a single batter. 

"(I told myself) one pitch at a time. It can be a lot when you think about the whole game, and all seven innings," Lieving said.

Ohio will be back in action against Central Michigan on Saturday (March 30). First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Ohio Softball Field.

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