DELAWARE, Ohio – The Ohio Wesleyan University softball team played the second of back-to-back weekend NCAC doubleheaders on Sunday, this time hosting Oberlin for their annual Strikeout Cancer Games. The Battling Bishops were outplayed 11-3 in game one and nearly bounced back for a win in game two, holding a 5-4 lead with three outs to go in the seventh. Unfortunately, two runs for the Yeowomen would spell a 6-5 defeat.
Ohio Wesleyan slips to 6-20 on the season and 2-6 in the NCAC. Oberlin improves to 14-12 overall and 3-5 in conference play.
GAME ONE: OHIO WESLEYAN 3, OBERLIN 11 (5 INN.)
Oberlin scored early and often in game one and put the Bishops in a hole that would end up being too deep to climb out of. The Yeowomen put up three runs in the first inning, three in the second, two in the fourth, and three in the fifth to get out to an 11-0 lead after four-and-a-half, holding OWU to just one hit through four innings.
The Red and Black finally came to life in the bottom of the fifth with four hits and three runs. It started with a
Natalie Russell single to right field.
Lexi Stratton pinch-ran for Russell, advancing to second on a single by
Liv Yeary.
Shelby Morris loaded the bases with a third-straight single. Next,
Chameron Vanden Eynden drove in Stratton and Yeary with a single up to middle, advancing to second on an error while Morris advanced to third. A
Rylee Myers ground out to third allowed the third run to cross in the form of Morris. However, that would be all for Ohio Wesleyan after two successive strikeouts to end the game at 11-3.
Olivia Basil (L, 2-9) started on the mound and lasted 1.1 innings with six earned runs on six hits and two walks. Morris finished the final 3.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits and one walk with two strikeouts.
Vanden Eynden drove in two on a 1-for-2 day.
Myers recorded a 1-for-3 outing with one RBI.
Russell, Stratton, and Morris scored the three runs.
GAME TWO: OHIO WESLEYAN 5, OBERLIN 6
Game two started similarly with Oberlin taking a 3-0 lead after scoring three in the top of the second inning. The difference this time was one early run for the Battling Bishops in the bottom of the second, followed by four more in the fourth as the Red and Black claimed their first lead of the day at 5-3.
Viera Barrett got it started with a single down the right field line before being swapped for on the basepaths by
Lexi Stratton. Stratton then advanced to third on a two-base sacrifice bunt by
Caity Journey.
Natalie Russell scored Stratton on an ensuing sac fly to center.
The fourth was messy for Oberlin defensively, but that didn't matter to OWU who was happy to put four runs across. Again Barrett kicked it off with a single, being pinch-run for by
Kennedy Dean who eventually stole third after Journey reached on a hit-by-pitch. Russell then reached on a fielder's choice to third that scored Dean on an error, resulting in Russell at second and Journey at third. Another error allowed
Shelby Morris to reach and advance to third while Russell and Journey scored. Finally, Morris scored on a
Rylee Myers fielder's choice to third, beating the tag at home.
Ohio Wesleyan looked to have the advantage in the late innings, ahead 5-3 and heading towards a win. However, Oberlin had other plans, getting it within one in the sixth before going ahead with two runs in the seventh, 6-5. The Bishops were stunted in the bottom of the seventh, going down in four batters with only
Katie Enneking reaching on a single.
Emma Dahlstrom got the start and pitched 1.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits and three walks.
Makenna Knisley (L, 2-4) offered 5.1 innings of relief with four earned runs on 11 hits and three walks.
Olivia Basil came in to get the final out in the seventh.
Myers was 1-for-4 with an RBI.
Russell and Morris both recorded an RBI and a run scored.
Dean was 1-for-1 with a run scored.
Stratton and Journey both scored runs.
Barrett hit 2-for-2.
Enneking was 2-for-4.
UP NEXT
The Battling Bishops are back in action at home on Wednesday for a non-conference doubleheader against Wilmington. Those games are set to get going at 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.
