Marshall University Athletics
Bobcats Slip Past Herd
4/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Bobcats Slip Past Herd
4/6/2004
- Game One Box Score
- Game Two Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio ? Ohio University registered three home runs in a two-game sweep of the Marshall University softball team, 3-2 and 5-4, on Tuesday afternoon at the Ohio Softball Field.
Game One: Ohio 3, Marshall 2
For the second straight game a two-run home run doomed the Marshall University softball team as Ohio picked up a 3-2 win over the Herd in game one of the doubleheader.
Jessica Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.) doubled as the first batter in the first inning for Marshall (24-17,6-3) advancing to third on a Sierra Davenport (Tucson, Ariz.) sacrifice bunt and then scored off a Bobcat fielder?s choice.
Randi Nielson (Tucson, Ariz.) did not give up a hit to Ohio (9-19, 3-2) until the third and it proved to be a costly one. After a single and a fielder?s choice, Kiersten Scrima sent a two-run shot over the left field fence to boost the OU lead to 2-1.
Marshall worked some offense in the fourth inning when Leigh Wintter (Acworth, Ga.) singled before her pinch-runner Noelle Adams (Wheeling, W.Va.) stole second and got caught up at third on a fielder?s choice. Allison Webb (Wayne, W.Va.) followed with a single up the middle and her pinch-runner Jennifer Jones (Proctorville, Ohio) picked up the second stolen base of the game. Freshman catcher Gina Guzzo (Virginia Beach, Va.) then notched an RBI hit scoring Sarah Wilson (Washington, W.Va.) before the Bobcat left fielder relayed home to put out Jones to end the inning with the score tied up.
Ohio added a run in the same frame when a double steal led to a Georgia Villard RBI single but the Herd defense was able to catch a greedy Bobcat heading home and maintain a one-run ball game.
After Nielson walked the first batter of the fifth, Amanda Luers (Dover, Ohio) was called in for relief. The freshman continued to retire three straight batters, including 2003 all-region outfielder Erin Chapman.
The Herd managed bases loaded with no outs in a last chance effort in the seventh after Sara Spenia (Las Vegas, Nev.) drew a walk, Ashley Mitchell (Kennesaw, Ga.) worked a clutch slap bunt single as a Guzzo pinch-hitter, and Kacenga bunted for a hit. An ideal situation resulted in zero runs as the top of the order was unable to connect resulting in a Bobcat win.
Davenport moved her hitting streak to a dozen with a rip at the third baseman in the fifth.
Nielson dropped to 11-8 overall with the loss, despite giving up only three hits and striking out six in four innings.
Ohio?s Natalie Armstrong collaborated with Kerri Harley in relief to get the win at the pitcher slot, surrendering a combined seven hits to the conference?s leading offensive unit.
Game Two: Ohio 5, Marshall 4
Despite a four-run first inning, MU dropped a nail-biter in the bottom of the seventh, 5-4, in game two of the doubleheader against Ohio.
For the second game in a row, J. Williams hit a ball to left field to start off the first. Davenport then bunted her way to a single and Amanda Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.) scored her sister with a deep double. Wintter reached on an error to load the bases and Wilson delivered a fielder?s choice scoring two more while Spenia scored Wintter off a single to right field giving MU an early 4-0 lead.
Ohio tied the game with four RBIs compliments of a pair Chapman home runs in the first and third innings off starting pitcher Sarah Chamberlain (Moses Lake, Wash.).
Abigail Harter (Monmouth, Oreg.) entered the game for Chamberlain in the fourth.
Ohio?s Kelly Rodriguez singled, picked up second on a fielder?s choice and stole third in the bottom of the seventh which led to a decision to intentionally walk both the third and fourth batters in the Ohio line-up (team-leading hitter Jennifer Tisevich and Chapman) to load the bases with two outs, bringing up Robin Miller. On a 0-1 count, Harter hit Miller in the left shoulder to score Rodgriguez and give Ohio their second win of the day.
The Herd outhit Ohio 9-7 in the contest, while Harter picked up the loss on the mound and goes to 4-7. Armstrong came in the game for Ohio to pick up the win.
Marshall will look to shake off a three-game slide when it travels to Southeastern Conference opponent Arkansas for a three-game series with the Razorbacks. Game one of the doubleheader on Friday begins at 5 p.m. with a series cap starting at noon on Saturday.