Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Ohio Wesleyan 4, Mount Union 3
Ohio Wesleyan 5, Mount Union 3

Senior third baseman Alyssa Back (Newark) scored what proved to be the deciding run in both games as Ohio Wesleyan swept a non-conference doubleheader from Mount Union on Thursday at Margaret Sagan Field.

The Purple Raiders, who began the day with a 15-2 record, took the lead in the second inning of the opener on a single by Brooklyn Schlabach, a double by Faith Kiko, and a sacrifice by Kyndall Hahn.  That sacrifice would be the first of 11 straight batters retired by senior lefthander Katie Chittum (Hebron/Lakewood).

Meanwhile, Mount Union's Kendyll Cahill was equally sharp in the circle, retiring the first 8 Bishop batters until senior catcher Sara Bias (Sandusky/St. Mary's Central Catholic) drew a 2-out walk in the third.

Ohio Wesleyan evened the game in the fifth when senior shortstop Rylee Anspach (Dublin/Coffman) drew a one-out walk and scored when Purple Raider rightfielder Tori Sickafoose dropped a fly ball off the bat of senior outfielder Rylie Moore (Noblesville, Ind.).

Mount Union answered in the top of the sixth, stringing together a Faith Reicosky single, a Cahill triple, and a Sickafoose single to go up, 3-1.

Back and freshman outfielder Chameron Vanden Eynden (Goshen) opened the bottom of the sixth with singles, and after the runners moved up on a sacrifice, senior second baseman Sophia Cegledy (Pataskala/Bishop Hartley) plated Back with an infield out.  Ohio Wesleyan knotted the game at 3 in the bottom of the seventh when junior shortstop McKenna Tuttle (Richmond, Ky./Model Laboratory School) reached on an error by Purple Raider second baseman Sydney Mercer and scored on a double by Bias.

Back was placed on second to start the bottom of the eighth and Vanden Enyden beat out a bunt single to put runners on the corners.  Junior outfielder Avery Panozzo (Denver, Colo./Mullen) followed with a fly ball to center to score Back with the winning run.

Back and Vanden Eynden each went 2-for-4 for Ohio Wesleyan.  Chittum pitched the complete game, scattering 7 hits and striking out 4 while walking none.

In the nightcap, the visitors again scored first as Reicosky singled and scored on an Adri George double.

The Bishops countered with 3 runs in the third.  Back led off with a single and moved up on a sacrifice, then took third on a passed ball as Panozzo walked.  After Panozzo stole second, Cegledy grounded to Purple Raider third baseman Emily Denney, who tried to catch Back returning to third base but threw wildly, allowing Back to score and sending Panozzo to third.  Junior first baseman Sophie Leohner (Columbus/Upper Arlington) then grounded to first baseman George, but George's throw to the plate was not in time to retire Panozzo. After Tuttle was hit by a pitch, Moore drew a walk to force home Cegledy for a 3-1 Bishop lead.

Ohio Wesleyan added to the lead in the fourth as Back led off with a walk and Vanden Eynden followed with a single.  Panozzo then popped up to Denney on a bunt attempt, but in trying to double Back off second base, Denney threw the ball into centerfield, with both Bishop baserunners scoring on the play.

Mount Union answered with 2 runs in the top of the fifth on doubles by Mercer and George and a single by Cahill, narrowing the deficit to 5-3, but sophomore righthander Makenna Knisley (Washington Court House/Washington) got the next out to get out of the inning, then retired the Purple Raiders in order in the top of the sixth, at which point the game was called because of darkness.

Back and Leohner each went 2-for-3 for the Bishops.  Knisley pitched the complete game, allowing 7 hits, striking out 2, and walking 2.

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2