ADA, Ohio – The Ohio Wesleyan University softball team began day one of the Ohio Northern Invitational with a doubleheader against Hope and Mount St. Joseph. The Battling Bishops trailed 5-2 in the sixth inning of game one before a three-run outburst tied the contest with one inning to play. Hope rallied in the top of the seventh, scoring two runs to defeat OWU, 7-5. In game two, the Red and Black took a 2-0 lead into the bottom half of the fifth, but the Lions put up five runs to ultimately hand the Bishops their second loss of the day, 5-2. 

OWU falls to 4-8 on the season. 

GAME ONE: OHIO WESLEYAN 5, HOPE 7
The Bishops struck first in the bottom of the third, as consecutive two-out singles by Rylee Myers and Rylea Gist brought Caity Journey around to score. However, Hope knotted things at 1-1 in the top of the fourth behind a pair of doubles. 

The Flying Dutchmen broke the game open in the fifth inning. A leadoff home run followed by a triple immediately shifted momentum in the favor of Hope. The Red and Black then forced two quick outs, and were one out away from escaping the jam. However, four straight hits–three singles and one double–plated three more runs for the Flying Dutchmen, making it 5-1. The Bishops fired back in the bottom half after Chameron Vanden Eynden came across to score following a Hope error. 

Ohio Wesleyan committed two quick outs to start the bottom half of the sixth inning, but a tremendous two-out rally was imminent. Liv Yeary started the scoring party with a single. After Journey was hit by a pitch, Vanden Eynden ripped a single through the right side to load the bases. Next up was Myers, who won a nine-pitch battle by roping a bases-clearing triple into the left-center gap, knotting the score at 5-5.

In the top of the seventh, a two-out triple from Hope's Emily Brown ignited an unfortunate sequence for Ohio Wesleyan. A double from the next batter brought Brown home to take a 6-5 advantage. The Flying Dutchmen weren't done there, capitalizing on a throwing error to plate another run and extend their lead to 7-5.

The Red and Black threatened in the bottom of the seventh with a runner on first and one away, but a game-ending double play abruptly snuffed out the comeback attempt. OWU ultimately dropped game one to Hope, 7-5

Ryla Zehring (L, 1-2) got the start in the circle, going 4.2 innings and striking out three. Shelby Morris finished the game, pitching the final 2.1 innings and punching out one. 

Myers and Vanden Eynden combined for six of the Bishops' 10 hits, with both batters finishing the day 3-for-4 at the plate. Myers tacked on three RBI, while Vanden Eynden came around to score twice. 

Journey went 1-for-1 with two runs scored and a walk. 

Yeary was 1-for-3 and came around to score once. 

Rylea Gist and Jessie Spurling both finished 1-for-4. Gist tacked on one RBI. 

GAME TWO: OHIO WESLEYAN 2, MOUNT ST. JOSEPH 5
The Battling Bishops looked to bounce back from the tough loss in game two. Jessie Spurling sparked the offense in the second inning with a double to left field, later crossing the plate on an RBI single by Liv Yeary. A similar sequence ignited the Bishop offense again in the fourth, as Spurling led off the inning with another double. Lexi Stratton came on to pinch run for Spurling, and came around to score after a Caity Journey single. Ohio Wesleyan led Mount St. Joseph 2-0 after the top of the fourth. 

In the bottom half of the fourth, the Lions offense came to life. A single and an error put two runners in scoring with just one away. The next batter singled through the right side to bring both runners home, and advanced to second on the throw home. Moments later, another single brought the third run of the inning across. The Bishops forced a flyout to record the second out of the inning, but a pair of walks quickly loaded the bases for Mount St. Joseph. A base hit back up the middle brought two more runs across, capping a five-run frame.

The Bishops managed just two hits over the final three innings, unable to piece together a late rally before ultimately falling 5-2.

Olivia Basil (L, 1-3) got the start in game two, going 3.1 innings and striking out two. Makenna Knisley finished the game, pitching 2.2 innings and punching out one. 

Spurling led the offensive attack, going 2-for-2 with a run scored and a walk. 

Vanden Eynden was the only other Bishop with a multi-hit performance, finishing 2-for-4.

Yeary and Journey recorded identical stat lines, as each went 1-for-3 and recorded one RBI. 

Kennedy Dean went 1-for-3.

Stratton tallied one run scored after pinch running in the fourth inning.

UP NEXT
The Bishops will spring back into action tomorrow for day two of the ONU Invitational, kicking things off against Ohio Northern at 10 a.m. before a 2 p.m. showdown with Alma.