Sports
Ohio Softball Splits Doubleheader with Kent State
By: Justin Cudahy
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After taking the weekend series over Western Michigan last week in Kalamazoo, Ohio Softball traveled to Kent, Ohio for a mid-week double header against East Division rivals, Kent State (13-18), on Tuesday. The Bobcats have been sitting comfortably on top of the division with their 24-7 record.
Game 1
Senior Savannah Jo Dorsey took the mound for the Bobcats to kick off the double header and pitched a masterful game, leading Ohio to a 6-0 win.
The team got things going early on offensively, striking first in the game’s opening inning. After singling to right field in her first at bat, sophomore Alex Day found herself at second later in the inning after advancing on a ground out. In the following at bat, sophomore Morgan Geno, the team’s RBI leader (28), brought Day home after singling up the middle, giving Ohio a quick 1-0 lead.
Later in the top of the third, it was déjà vu for the Bobcats. With Day on second once again, junior Mikayla Cooper singled to left field and Day was able to come around to score.
Kent State had no answer for Dorsey’s pitching. The Bobcat recorded at least two strike outs nearly every inning which was enough to finally surpass the 1,000 career strikeout milestone. Dorsey finished with 15 strikeouts and only gave up two hits and two walks.
Back on offense, the team was able to maintain their dominance. In the top of the fifth, Cooper once again brought home the runs, this time with an RBI double. In the top of the seventh, The Bobcats rallied for three more runs. Sophomore Natalie Alvarez singled in a run, a double play brought Alvarez home and a bases loaded walk completed the 6-0 win.
Game 2
Unfortunately for Ohio, the Bobcats were unable to maintain that momentum going into the second game, a 7-1 loss.
Junior Danielle Stiene got the start for the Bobcats but only pitched 1.2 innings after giving up a two-run homer in the bottom of the first.
Dorsey came into the game to take over, quickly ending the inning down 2-0. Things only got worse for the Bobcats however.
This game, it was Kent State who went off offensively, with Emily Dobbin and Maddy Grimm hitting back to back home runs in the bottom of the third for the Golden Flashes, putting them up 4-0 by the end of the inning.
Ohio began to chip away at their deficit in the top of fourth when Morgan Geno crushed her seventh home run of the season into right center field, making it 4-1. Kent State’s offense hit two more home runs in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead, 7-1. Despite a late inning rally in the top of the seventh, The Bobcats were unable to pull off the comeback.
Ohio will look to get back on track this weekend when they host Ball State for a three-game series. The Cardinals (23-17), who currently sit on top of the MAC West, will be Ohio’s biggest test so far this season in conference play. The first game of the series will kick off this Friday in Athens at 3 p.m.