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ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio softball team (27-15, 10-7 MAC) returned to Athens on Saturday afternoon (April 11), splitting a doubleheader with Bowling Green (17-21, 5-12 MAC) at the Ohio Softball Field. Ohio took game one, 9-3, before falling in game two, 8-1.
GAME ONE: Ohio 9, Bowling Green 3
Overall, Ohio scored nine runs on nine hits and committed one error, while Bowling Green scored three runs on three hits and committed one error.
At the plate, senior
Colleen Bare (Pickerington, Ohio) went 3-for-4 with a double, home run, two RBI and two runs scored, while senior
Belle Hummel (Cincinnati, Ohio) went 2-for-3 with a grand slam, four RBI and three runs scored. Senior
Shelby Westler (Marion, Ohio) added a home run, RBI and a run scored, while junior
Brenna Farmer (Mt. Blanchard, Ohio) added a hit and an RBI. Sophomore
Alexis Book (Chillicothe, Ohio) and junior
Izzie Wilson (Delaware, Ohio) also added hits for Ohio.
In the circle, graduate student
Skipp Miller (Bradford, Ohio) got the start, pitching six innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits, walked four and struck out five for her 14
th win of the season. Senior
Keegan Moore (South Point, Ohio) pitched the seventh inning and did not allow a hit or a walk with one strikeout.
Bowling Green struck first, taking a 1-0 lead on a two-out RBI double, giving the Falcons a 1-0 lead headed into the bottom of the first. Ohio took the lead in the bottom of the first scoring on an RBI double from Bare and an RBI single from Farmer, giving Ohio the 2-1 lead after one full inning.
After a scoreless top of the second, Ohio added on when Hummel scored when Bare reached on an error, putting Ohio up, 3-1 after two innings. BGSU got a run back in the top of the third, scoring on an RBI single, cutting the Bobcats' lead to 3-2 going into the bottom of the third.
After Ohio stranded a runner in the bottom of the third, BGSU threatened to tie the game in the top of the fourth, putting runners on first and second with two outs, however, Miller was able to get the final batter of the inning to ground out to first on the first pitch, keeping the Ohio lead at 3-2 going into the bottom of the inning. The Bobcats looked to add on in the bottom of the inning, getting runners on first and second with two outs, however, the BGSU defense was able to get the final batter of the inning to ground out, sending the game to the fifth with Ohio leading, 3-2.
Ohio broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth. After Westler led the inning off with a solo home run, the Bobcats would load the bases with two outs, setting up a grand slam to right field from Hummel. Moments later, Bare followed it up with a solo home run of her own, putting the Bobcats up 9-2 going into the sixth inning.
BGSU got a run back in the top of the sixth inning, scoring on an RBI double to cut the Ohio lead to 9-3 going into the bottom of the inning.
After a scoreless bottom of the sixth for Ohio, Bowling Green looked to add on in the top of the seventh, however Moore and the Ohio defense would send the Falcons down in order, securing the 9-3 win.
GAME TWO: Bowling Green 8, Ohio 1
Overall, Ohio scored one run on six hits and committed one error, while Bowling Green scored eight runs on 14 hits and did not commit an error.
At the plate, Hummel went 3-for-4 with a double, while Bare recorded a double, Book a home run and an RBI and sophomore
Sydney Young (Charleston, W.Va.) added a hit for Ohio.
In the circle, junior
Mikie Lieving (New Haven, W.Va.) got the start, pitching 2.1 innings, allowing three runs on six hits and walked one. Moore pitched two-thirds an inning, allowing five runs, four earned, on three hits, while walking one and striking out one. Sophomore
Ally Meyers (Waterville, Ohio) tossed 4.0 innings and did not allow a run on five hits, walked two and struck out three.
Bowling Green looked to get on the board in the top of the first inning. With a runner on first with one out, the Bobcats would throw a Falcon baserunner out trying to score, allowing the Bobcats to get out of the inning with the game still scoreless. Ohio looked to get on the board in the bottom of the inning after Hummel led the inning off with a single up the middle, the Bobcats would put runners on first and second with one out, however the BGSU defense also got out of the jam, sending the game to the second inning, scoreless.
Bowling Green took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, scoring on an RBI single to give the Falcons the early lead. BGSU added on in the top of the second inning, scoring five runs on four hits to take a 6-0 lead going into the bottom of the third.
Ohio looked to get on the board in the bottom of the third, loading the bases with two outs. However, the Bobcats were unable to capitalize, sending the game to the fourth trailing, 6-0. BGSU would add on in the top of the fourth, scoring two more runs to take an 8-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth.
Ohio got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning on a two-out solo home run from Book to cut the BGSU lead to 8-1 entering the fifth inning. Ohio tried to get another run in the bottom of the fifth when Bare led the inning off with a double to right and then moved to third on a deep fly ball. However, the Falcons' defense was able to get the final two outs, sending the game to the sixth with Ohio training, 8-1.
BGSU looked to add on in the top of the sixth inning, loading the bases with two outs, however Meyers was able to get the final batter to strikeout swinging to keep the runs off the board and sending the game to the bottom of the sixth with the score still 8-1.
The Bobcats looked to rally in the bottom of the seventh inning, with Hummel reaching on a leadoff double and Bare drawing a walk, putting runners on first and second with no outs. After Ohio leaded the bases with two outs, the BGSU defense was able to get the final out, securing the 8-1 win.
UP NEXT
The Bobcats wrap up the three-game series on Sunday, April 12. First pitch between Ohio and Bowling Green is set for Noon ET at the Ohio Softball Field and can be seen on ESPN+.
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