Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Ohio Wesleyan 13, Denison 8
Ohio Wesleyan 11, Denison 0

Sophomore first baseman Makenna Waddell (Marion/Pleasant) drove in the go-ahead runs and freshman third baseman Alyssa Back (Newark) plated 3 runs and tied a school record as Ohio Wesleyan outslugged Denison in the opener of a non-conference doubleheader between North Coast Athletic Conference West Division rivals on Wednesday in Granville.

In the nightcap, Waddell drove in 4 runs, tied a school record, and combined with senior righthander Erica Buchanan (Hilliard/Davidson) on a 5-hit shutout as the Bishops completed the sweep.

Back singled home 2 runs in the top of the second inning to give Ohio Wesleyan a 3-1 lead in the opener, but Denison struck for 5 runs in the third, highlighted by Jessica Hopkins' bases-loaded double.

Ohio Wesleyan responded with 4 runs in the fourth, with Buchanan plating 2 runs and senior outfielder Aimee Duckworth (Hilliard/Bradley) and freshman first baseman Rylee Anspach (Dublin/Coffman) driving in runs later in the inning.

The Big Red retook the lead with an RBI double by Taylor Faulkenberg and a Caitlin Ellwanger RBI in the bottom of the fourth, only to see the Bishops even the score at 8 on Back's RBI single in the fifth.

Sophomore shortstop Carly Schafer (Tiffin/Columbian) reached second on an error by Denison first baseman Faulkenberg to open the seventh inning, and senior outfielder Madison Bridger (Pataskala/Licking Heights) followed with a single and took second on the throw back to the infield.  Back reached on an error by Denison third baseman Ellwanger to load the bases, but Denison pitcher Sophia Parpala struck out freshman second baseman Sydney Hoover (Utica) for the first out, then got Duckworth to bounce into a fielder's choice, with the Big Red retiring Schafer at the plate for the second out.  Waddell then came through with a single to center, scoring Bridger and Back with the go-ahead runs.

Freshman lefthander Katie Chittum (Hebron/Lakewood) retired the Big Red in order in the bottom of the seventh to finish the complete-game victory.  She struck out a season-high 7 batters and walked 1.

Back went 4-for-5, tying the school record for hits in a game, drove in 3 runs, and scored 3 runs.  Waddell was 2-for-5 with 3 RBI.

Parpala was the losing pitcher in relief for Denison.

In the nightcap, Waddell smashed a 2-run double in the first inning to put the Bishops ahead to stay, then added an RBI single in the third for a 3-0 Ohio Wesleyan lead.

Back added an RBI single in the fourth, freshman outfielder Rylie Moore (Noblesville, Ind.) and freshman second baseman Sophia Cegledy (Pataskala/Bishop Hartley) singled home runs in the fifth, and the Bishops added 4 runs in the sixth, with Moore's 2-run double the big hit.

Buchanan did not allow a hit until Abby Arabia doubled with one out in the third, then worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth to preserve the shutout.  She pitched the first 4.0 innings and was credited with the win.

Waddell took over from there and worked a scoreless fifth and sixth, allowing only 1 hit and striking out 2.  At the plate, she went 4-for-4, tying the school record for hits in a game, driving in 4 runs and scoring twice.

Buchanan and Moore each went 2-for-4, with Moore collecting 3 RBI.

Noelle Chovanec was the starting and losing pitcher for Denison.

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2