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MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – The Ohio softball team (32-14, 15-5 MAC) was back in action on Saturday (April 26), splitting a doubleheader with Central Michigan (24-21, 16-6 MAC). The Bobcats took the first game of the day, 4-2, before falling 7-2 in the second game. With the win in game one, the Bobcats clinched a spot in the 2025 Mid-American Conference Tournament May 7-10 in Akron, Ohio.
GAME ONE: Ohio 4, CMU 2
Overall, the Bobcats scored four runs on eight hits and did not commit an error, while CMU scored two runs on nine hits and committed two errors.
At the plate, senior
Emma Hoffner (New Stanton, Pa.) went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple, while junior
Shelby Westler (Marion, Ohio) added two hits, and a run scored. Senior
Lauren Yuhas (West Mifflin, Pa.) recorded a triple and scored a run, while sophomore
Brenna Farmer (Mt. Blanchard, Ohio) had a single and an RBI. Senior
CiCi Keidel (Hilliard, Ohio) had one hit and two RBI, junior
Belle Hummel (Cincinnati, Ohio) had a hit and scored a run.
In the circle, redshirt junior
Skipp Miller (Bradford, Ohio) got the start, pitching seven innings, allowing two runs on nine hits, walked two and struck out four for her 14
th
The Bobcats threatened in the top of the first inning, when with two outs, a double from Hoffner put runners in scoring position. However, CMU was able to get out of the jam, sending the game to the bottom of the inning still scoreless.
Ohio struck in the top of the second inning. After freshman
Abby Kennelly (Waterville, Ohio) reached on an error, Westler singled and Hummel walked to load the bases with one out. After the second out of the inning was recorded, Keidel singled to center, scoring Kennelly and Westler and putting the Bobcats ahead. Ohio added one more run in the frame thanks to an RBI single from Farmer, giving Ohio a 3-0 lead headed into the bottom of the second.
Due to a the first walk of the game, the Chippewas managed to score their first run in the third inning, but Ohio stopped them from scoring any more, keeping their lead.
CMU got on the board in the bottom of the third, scoring on a bases loaded walk, cutting the Ohio lead to 3-1 headed into the fourth.
After a scoreless fourth and fifth innings, Ohio added another run in the top of the sixth. After Yuhas tripled to right center, Keidel reached on an error, scoring Yuhas and giving the Bobcats a 4-1 lead headed into the bottom of the sixth. CMU would get the run back in the bottom of the frame with an RBI single, however the Bobcats would end the rest of the CMU threat, sending the game to the seventh with the 4-2 lead.
CMU looked to rally in the bottom of the seventh with a two-out single. However, the Bobcats would get the final out of the inning to secure the 4-2 win.
GAME TWO: CMU 7, Ohio 2
Overall, Ohio scored two runs on eight hits and committed one error, while CMU scored seven runs on 11 hits and committed one error.
At the plate, Keidel went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI, while Farmer also added two hits. Hummel went 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Westler recorded a hit and also scored a run for the Bobcats.
In the circle, freshman
Anna Wise (Broadview Heights, Ohio) got the start, pitching 5.0 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits, walked two and struck out five.
The Bobcats looked to get on the board in the top of the first inning, when with one out, Keidel and Farmer reached on back-to-back singles with one out. However, the CMU defense was able to retire the next two Bobcats, sending the game to the bottom of the inning with the game scoreless.
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning when CMU scored one run on an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead into the top of the sixth inning.
The top of the sixth was promising for Ohio with a lead-off single by Farmer Unfortunately, she did not make it much farther and the inning ended with Ohio still trailing Central Michigan. CMU added on in the bottom of the sixth, scoring six runs on six hits to take a 7-0 lead into the seventh.
Ohio looked to rally in the top of the seventh. After Westler reached on a leadoff single and Hummel reached on an error, a two-RBI double from Keidel cleared the bases. However, the would be all the runs the Bobcats would get, falling 7-1.
UP NEXT
The Bobcats and CMU wrap up the three-game series on Sunday, April 27 with the rubber match set to begin at Noon ET.
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