Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Ohio Wesleyan 13, Denison 5
Denison 15, Ohio Wesleyan 13

Senior outfielder Aimee Duckworth (Hilliard/Bradley) crushed a walk-off, 2-run double that gave Ohio Wesleyan a win over Denison in the opener of a North Coast Athletic Conference West Division doubleheader on Friday at Margaret Sagan Field.

In the nightcap, the Bishops rallied from a 13-6 deficit to within 15-13, but Denison held off the Bishop comeback to escape with a split of the twinbill.

The Big Red took an early lead in the opener when Claire Powell yanked a home run down the rightfield line in the first inning and Maggie Ballentine belted a 2-run double to highlight a 4-run second inning.

Ohio Wesleyan answered with 6 runs in the bottom of the second, with senior outfielder Madison Bridger (Pataskala/Licking Heights) lining a 2-run double during the uprising, and tacked on 5 more runs in the third, with Duckworth delivering a 2-run single.

Needing 2 runs in the bottom of the fifth to end the game, Ohio Wesleyan came through when Bridger beat out a bunt single to open the inning, senior outfielder Erica Buchanan (Hilliard/Davidson) drew a walk, and Duckworth belted a ball to the gap in left center to plate both runners.

Bridger went 3-for-4 with 3 runs scored and 3 RBI, and Duckworth was 3-for-4 with 5 RBI, becoming the first Ohio Wesleyan player to knock in 5 or more runs in a game since Madi Drabick had 5 RBI against Washington & Jefferson on March 17, 2018.  Buchanan tied a school record by drawing 3 walks in the contest.

Freshman lefthander Katie Chittum (Hebron/Lakewood) pitched the complete game, allowing 6 hits during her 5.0 innings of work.

Taylor Faulkenberg was the starting and losing pitcher for Denison.

Denison jumped out to an early lead again in the nightcap, with Jessica Hopkins lining a 3-run homer to straightaway center in the second and Lexi Knipp and Caitlin Ellwanger pulling home runs down the leftfield line in the third.

Duckworth smashed a 2-run double as the Bishops responded with 3 runs in the bottom of the third, and freshman third baseman Alyssa Back (Newark) belted an RBI double during a 3-run fourth frame that put Ohio Wesleyan ahead, 6-5.

The Big Red responded with 8 runs in the top of the fifth, assembling 8 hits, including 2-run doubles by Powell and Knipp.

Ohio Wesleyan fought back with a run in the fifth on an infield out by Back and 3 more runs in the sixth with the help of a 2-run double by freshman second baseman Sophia Cegledy (Pataskala/Bishop Hartley).

With daylight fading, Denison got a run-scoring double from Faulkenberg and an RBI single by Knipp in the top of the seventh, and those runs proved to be vital when Ohio Wesleyan rallied for 3 runs in the bottom of the inning, capped by an RBI single by sophomore first baseman Makenna Waddell (Marion/Pleasant).

Cegledy went 3-for-3, scoring 3 runs and driving in 2.  Back was 3-for-4, knocking in 2 runs.  Duckworth was 3-for-5 in the game, finishing the day with 6 hits in 9 at-bats.

Buchanan was charged with the loss in relief.

Sophia Parpala pitched the first 4.0 innings to collect the win for Denison, and Noelle Chovanec pitched the final 3.0 innings to receive a save.

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2