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TUCSON, Ariz. – The Ohio softball team (5-3) returned to action for the second day of the Bear Down Fiesta hosted by Arizona inside Hillenbrand Stadium. Ohio split the day's games, picking up a 3-2 victory over South Alabama (5-5), before falling to No. 15 Arizona (9-1), 12-8, in the second game of the day.
GAME ONE: OHIO 3, SOUTH ALABAMA 2
Overall, Ohio scored three runs on six hits and committed two errors, while South Alabama scored two runs on five hits and committed one error.
Individually, junior
Belle Hummel (Cincinnati, Ohio) went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple, while junior
Shelby Westler (Marion, Ohio) added one hit, a homerun, two RBI and a run scored. Senior
Lauren Yuhas (West Mifflin, Pa.) had one double, one walk and one RBI, while sophomore
Brenna Farmer (Mt. Blanchard, Ohio) and freshman
Abby Kennelly (Waterville, Ohio) both had one hit.
In the circle freshman
Anna Wise (Broadview Heights, Ohio) earned her second start of the weekend, pitching four innings, allowing one run, none earned, on four hits, did not walk a batter and struck out four. Sophomore
Mikie Lieving (New Haven, W. Va.) pitched three innings and did not allow a run on one hit and two walks, earning her third win of the season.
The Bobcats looked to strike first in the top of the first inning, with Farmer reaching on a two-out single. However, the Bobcats did not capitalize, sending the game to the bottom of the inning scoreless.
After a scoreless second inning from both team, Ohio got on the board first in the top of the third. After Kennelly reached after being hit by a pitch, a double from Hummel moved her to third, putting runners on second and third with one out. Moments later, Yuhas reached on a fielding error, scoring Kennelly, giving the Bobcats a 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the inning. South Alabama looked to responded in the bottom of the inning with a one-out double, however, Wise was able to get a strikeout and force a ground out, ending the inning and sending the game to the fourth with Ohio leading, 1-0.
South Alabama tied the game up at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth, taking advantage of an Ohio miscue, evening the score headed into the fifth inning. Ohio threatened to retake the lead in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Hummel roped a triple through the right side and Yuhas walked and stole second, putting runners on second and third. However, Ohio was unable to chaptalize, sending the game to the sixth with the game tied at 1-1.
South Alabama took the lead in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single, sending the game to the top of the sixth leading 2-1. However, Ohio responded immediately in the top of that inning. After senior
Emma Hoffner (New Stanton, Pa.) reached after being hit by a pitch, Westler came to the plate and crushed a two-run homerun to left, putting the Bobcats up 3-2 headed into the bottom of the inning.
After a one-two-three bottom of the sixth, the Bobcats threatened to add on in the top of the seventh inning. With one out, Yuhas doubled and then moved to third on a fly out. Moments later, Hoffner drew a two-out walk. However, the Bobcats were unable to add on, sending the game to the bottom of the seventh with Ohio leading, 3-2.
South Alabama looked to rally in the bottom of the seventh, but Lieving and the Ohio defense was able to force three-straight ground outs to secure the 3-2 victory.
GAME TWO: #15 Arizona 12, Ohio 8
Overall, Ohio scored eight runs on six hits and committed one error, while Arizona scored 12 runs on 11 hits and committed four errors.
Individually
, Hummel finished the game with one hit, one RBI and two runs scored, while Yuhas finished with one hit, one runs, one walk and three RBI. Freshman
Alexis Book (Chillicothe, Ohio) finished with a hit and a run scored, while senior
CiCi Keidel (Hilliard, Ohio) added one hit, a homerun, RBI and two runs scored. Junior
Colleen Bare (Pickerington, Ohio) also added a hit, a double and one RBI. Hoffner also added a hit and an RBI, while Farmer registered and RBI for the Bobcats.
In the circle, redshirt junior
Skipp Miller (Bradford, Ohio) got the start, pitching three innings, allowing seven runs on five hits, while walking five. Wise entered the game and pitched 2.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, while walking one.
Ohio looked to get on the board first in the top of the first inning, with Yuhas and Farmer both reaching to put runners on first and second with one out. However, the Bobcats were unable to capitalize. Arizona got on the board in the bottom of the inning, taking a 1-0 lead into the second inning.
In the top of the second, the Ohio offense came alive and took advantage of two Arizona errors. After Westler walked to lead off the inning, she would score when Hummel reached on an error. Moments later, and RBI single from Yuhas, a ground out from Farmer and an RBI single from Hoffner pushed four more runs across, giving Ohio a 5-1 lead, however, Arizona was able to get a run back in the bottom of the inning, cutting the Ohio lead to 5-2 after two full innings.
After Arizona got another run back in the bottom of the third on a leadoff homerun, Ohio got the two runs back in the top of the fourth. After Keidel hit her own leadoff homerun, a sacrifice fly from Yuhas scored Hummel, putting Ohio up 7-3. However, the Wildcats once again responded scoring eight runs on six hits and one error to take an 11-7 lead into the fifth inning.
Ohio looked to get a run back in the top of the fifth after Book reached on a leadoff single. Moments later, Westler reached on an error to put runners on first and second with no outs. However, the Wildcats' defense was able to retire the next three Bobcats, sending the game to the bottom of the inning with Ohio trailing, 11-7.
Arizona added on in the bottom of the sixth, scoring one run on one hit, taking a 12-7 lead into the final frame. Ohio looked to rally in the top of the seventh inning. After Book drew a walk with one out, she later scored on an RBI double to right field from Bare. However, that was all the offense Ohio was able to generate, falling to Arizona, 12-8.
UP NEXT
The Bobcats wrapped up the 2025 Bear Down Fiesta on Sunday, Feb. 16 when Ohio takes on Cal State Fullerton. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. ET.
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