Sports
Ohio Softball splits games with Central Michigan in doubleheader
By: Lindsey Crawford
Posted on:
ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — Earlier in the week, the Ohio Softball team would take a break from MAC play to take on Pitt, ultimately mercy ruling the Panthers 12-2 in five innings. Coming off the short break, the Bobcats (21-12, 4-4 MAC) were back at home looking to extend their win streak in their three-game series against the Central Michigan Chippewas (14-13, 5-3 MAC).
Kicking things off in game one, on the mound for the Bobcats would be reigning MAC Pitcher of the Year Skipp Miller. Her speed would prove challenging for the Chippewas, as Miller would finish this game with a 3.25 earned run average.
Behind home plate, the Bobcats would get it done early, with two back to back homers courtesy of Belle Hummel and Colleen Bare during the bottom of the first. The pair would put Ohio up 2-0, a lead that they would maintain the rest of the game.
“Those are two of the hardest hit balls we’ve had all year. I mean it’s exciting, it’s fun… I love celebrating them for sure,” said head coach Jenna Hall.
In the top of third, a Cierra Laska home run would bring the Chippewas within striking distance. It would take Ohio until the bottom of the fourth to score again, as a Rylee McDaniel homer with one on base would bring the Bobcats up 4-1. An inning later, Brenna Farmer swinging for the fences would further the lead 5-1.
In the top of the seventh, the Chippewas would begin to claw back, putting 2 more runs up on the board. However their efforts would be to no avail, as Ohio would take home the first game of the double header, 6-3.
Back from the break, it was clear that the Chippewas still had some fight left in them. Bobcat errors would allow Emma Lotus to find her way home, and hand CMU their first lead of the series. However, that advantage wouldn’t last long, as in the bottom, Ohio’s Belle Hummel would tie the game with an unearned run.
Scoring would come to a halt until back-to-back CMU doubles would put the Chippewas back in the driver seat. From there, Ohio would pull Mikie Leiving from the mound and bring in Southeast Ohio native Keegan Moore.
“They were starting to time her up a bit, they put that double into the gap” says Hall. “For us it’s about changing momentum the best we can at the right times, so I feel like as a staff, you know, we can kind of compliment each other, and they compliment each other very well. So, it was good to see Keegan come in and get things done.”
Unfortunately for the Bobcats, a new pitcher would not stop the Chippewas from scoring, as Angela Petrovitch would double to right-center field to further CMU’s lead to three heading into the bottom of the fourth. Back-to-back doubles from Izzy Wilson and Jordyn Wycuff would bring in another Bobcat run, closing the gap just a little as the Chippewas still maintained control, 4-2 heading into the fifth. In the bottom of the sixth, the Bobcats would dig deep, with Brenna Farmer mustering her second home run of the afternoon.
Unfortunately for Ohio, their efforts would not be enough to comeback, and CMU would take the second game of the series 5-3.
Both the Bobcats and Chippewas will return to the field Sunday for their third and final game of the series, beginning at noon.