Sports
Softball: Ohio Opens UTC Frost Classic With Two Wins
< < Back to softball-ohio-opens-utc-frost-classic-two-winsThe Bobcats (9-2) started their weekend off with a bang at the UTC Frost Classic, collecting two wins as they took down the North Carolina Central Eagles, 11-0, and the Niagara Purple Eagles, 14-5.
Ohio was led by the powerful senior bats of catcher Lauren Gellerman and Caitlin Colvin. Both blasted two home runs and drove in a combined nine runs on the day.
In their first game, the Bobcats jumped on the Eagles early, scoring three runs in the first inning. Gellerman grounded out but brought in a run, and Adrienne Gebele hit a double that brought in two more runs for the Green and White.
The offense exploded for Ohio in the second inning with six runs scored. After Ohio scored on a passed ball, Gellerman hit her first home run that put the ‘Cats up two more runs. Eagles pitcher London Booker then loaded the bases and allowed another three runs to score when she walked a batter and hit two more. At the end of the second inning, the score stood at 9-0.
In the third inning, Gellerman then hit her second home run, and the Bobcats scored the finals runs of the game with the score at 11-0.
Ohio pitcher Lauren McClary did not let the Eagles back into the game, and retired all six batters that came to plate in the fourth and fifth innings. She allowed just two hits and struck out six Eagles on her way to earning a complete game shutout.
The momentum carried over into Ohio’s second game of the day against Niagara.
Alexandria Basquez got Ohio on the board first in the second inning with a double that brought in a run, but the Purple Eagles quickly responded in the top of the third by loading the bases and drawing a walk with the bases loaded for their first run. A single by Gabby Lustrinelli brought in another two runs and the Purple Eagles went up 3-1.
In the bottom of the third, Colvin tacked on another Bobcat run with her first home run of the game.
With the score at 3-2, Niagara added another run in the fourth inning, but then coach Jodi Hermanek’s Ohio team really came alive.
In the bottom of the fourth, Ohio took the lead as it crossed home plate four times. Chelsea Hortman and Gebele each batted in a run and Sloan Walker brought in two on a bunt single.
Adding another run scored in the top of the fifth inning, Niagara brought the score within one run at 6-5.
Ohio pulled away in the fifth, however, after scoring five runs, three of which came from Colvin’s second homer of the game.
With the score at 11-5 at the bottom of the sixth inning, center fielder Alyssa Wolfe hit in another three scores for the Green and White as she clobbered the team’s fifth homer of the day.
Ohio will look to carry its momentum into Saturday, as it takes on Lipscomb at 11 a.m. and Boston College at 1:15 p.m.