WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Ohio Wesleyan University softball team concluded their spring break trip in Florida with a doubleheader against Carroll and Rowan on Saturday. The Battling Bishops fell behind 3-0 in the first inning of game one and were unable to regain their footing, ultimately dropping the contest 7-5. Despite a three-run outburst in the fifth inning of game two, the Bishops' comeback attempt fell just short to No. 20 Rowan, 5-3.
OWU drops to 4-6 on the year.
GAME ONE: OHIO WESLEYAN 5, CARROLL 7
Carroll started the game strong, as three of the first four batters came around to score to give the Pioneers a quick 3-0 lead. Carroll padded its lead in the top of the second, pushing three more across to make it 6-0. However, with two outs and the bases empty in the bottom of the second, freshman
Natalie Russell provided a sudden spark by smoking an inside-the-park home run – the first homer of her career – to get Ohio Wesleyan on the board.
The Pioneers tacked on their seventh and final run of the game in the top of the third inning, making it 7-1. In the bottom half,
Caity Journey came around to score and the comeback efforts were fully underway. After a quiet fourth and fifth inning for both sides,
Viera Barrett ripped a two-run single into right field, driving in
Rylee Myers and
Rylea Gist to make it 7-4 after six.
Down to their final three outs, the Bishops threatened again in the seventh. Capping off a trio of base hits for the Red and Black,
Ryla Zehring delivered an RBI single to bring Myers across the plate. The Bishops had runners on first and third, with the winning run at the plate, but a pair of strikeouts ultimately ended the game. Carroll topped Ohio Wesleyan by a final of 7-5.
Emma Dahlstrom got the start and pitched 1.1 innings.
Shelby Morris provided relief and went the rest of the way, allowing just one run in 5.2 innings with three strikeouts.
Barrett tallied a team-high two RBIs, going 1-for-4 with a two-run single.
Myers rounded the bases twice on a 2-for-4 day with one RBI.
Russell was 1-for-3 with a rare inside-the-park homer, the first home run of her young career.
Zehring recorded one RBI on a 1-for-4 day.
Gist was 2-for-4 with one run scored.
Stratton scored once as a pinch runner.
GAME TWO: OHIO WESLEYAN 3, ROWAN 5
No. 20 Rowan jumped out to an early advantage in game two, pushing a run across in the first inning via a sacrifice fly. The Owls extended their advantage in the second, plating two more runs on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single to take a 3-0 lead. A two-out rally in the third inning generated two more runs for Rowan, capped off by a two-run single from Zoey Rogers.
After four scoreless innings, the Bishops struck in the fifth.
Kennedy Dean led off the inning with an infield single. Two batters later,
Rylee Myers drew a four-pitch walk to set the table for
Jessie Spurling. Spurling immediately capitalized, ripping a single to right field to bring both Dean and Myers home. Stepping up next,
Natalie Russell smoked a single to right field, bringing Spurling across the plate to cap off an explosive three-run inning.
The Bishops threatened with a pair of two-out singles in the top of the sixth, but couldn't push a run across. That proved to be the final gasp for the Red and Black, as they ultimately fell to Rowan, 5-3.
Olivia Basil (L, 1-2) got the start in the circle and went the distance, holding the top-ranked team to just five hits while punching out two.
Spurling led the offensive attack, finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Dean finished 2-for-3 and came around to score once.
Chameron Vanden Eynden was 2-for-4.
Rylee Myers went 1-for-2, drew two walks, and scored once.
Natalie Russell continued her impressive debut season, tallying one hit in four at-bats and recording an RBI.
Viera Barrett finished 1-for-3, recording her first collegiate double.
UP NEXT
Ohio Wesleyan will travel to Ohio Northern next Saturday, March 21st, for the ONU Invitational. The Bishops begin the weekend with a doubleheader against Hope and Mount St. Joseph. First pitch is set for 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively.
