search
Donate

Sports

[Lindsey Crawford | WOUB]

Ohio Softball completes dominant sweep of Buffalo, undefeated in MAC

By:
Posted on:

< < Back to

ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — After the Ohio Bobcats (20-8, 3-0 MAC) shut out the Buffalo Bulls (5-20, 2-4 MAC) in both of their games yesterday, the two teams met one more time to close out the series. The Bobcats completed the series sweep with a 6-2 victory in seven innings.  

In the top of the first inning, Ohio’s defense set the tone for the game and held Buffalo scoreless. The Bobcats then took over the game on offense, with Lauren Yuhas starting the scoring as she ran in from second base off a hit from CiCi Keidel. Ohio would tack on four more runs to bring the score to 5-0 after one inning. 

Heading into the next inning, the pace of the game slowed down and scoring came to a halt. Bobcats’ pitcher Mickie Lieving continued to pitch a shutout, while the Bulls began to stall out Ohio’s offense.

Ohio infielder Abby Kennelly making a play during the 6-2 win over Buffalo.
Ohio infielder Abby Kennelly making a play during the 6-2 win over Buffalo. [HG Biggs | WOUB Public Media]
At the top of the fifth inning, Buffalo would break through with Mia Mitchell hitting a single and sending Reagan Terwilliger home, scoring their first point of the series. However, the Bobcats would answer right back with a score of their own, courtesy of Abby Kennelly, Ohio led 6-1. 

In the sixth inning, Isabella Smithson hit a single and sent Ardyn Hopf home to cut into the deficit. However, this would be the last score of the game for the Bulls. The Bobcats would finish out the inning with no points scored. 

The seventh inning brought a pitching change for Ohio, with Skipp Miller entering the game to close it out. Miller pitched two strikeouts, and a caught pop-fly sealed the game for the Bobcats, winning 6-2 in seven innings.  

With the series sweep against Buffalo, Coach Jenna Hall is confident in her squad’s ability to play any game.
“Learning how to win in different ways is really important when you put together a whole start to finish,” Hall said. “I think it’s toughened us up, I think it’s allowed us to understand what it takes to win a close game, what it takes to win an offensive slugfest, and then also a pitcher’s duel. So, I think all of those things are going to make us stronger down the line.” 

The Buffalo Bulls will return home next weekend for a series against the Central Michigan Chippewas (10-15, 3-2 MAC). The Ohio Bobcats will head to Northern Illinois to take on the Huskies (7-16, 2-3 MAC), also next weekend.