DELAWARE, Ohio – The Ohio Wesleyan University softball team welcomed Wilmington to Margaret Sagan Field for a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon. The Battling Bishops ended up being outmatched in both contests, falling 13-0 and 13-2.
OWU falls to 6-22 overall, and remains 2-6 in NCAC play. Wilmington advances to 14-14, and are 5-5 in the OAC.
GAME ONE: OHIO WESLEYAN 0, WILMINGTON 13
After a scoreless first inning, Wilmington struck first via a groundout with the bases loaded in the second. In the third, the Quakers busted the game open, scoring five runs on three hits and one error. Walks haunted the Bishops in the third inning, as the squad gave Wilmington five free passes. The walks combined with one error and two wild pitches resulted in six more runs for the Quakers. Wilmington led 12-0 through 3.5 innings of play, leaving the Bishops in a deep hole and still hitless on the scoreboard.
The Red and Black threatened for the first time in the bottom of the fourth.
Rylea Gist started the rally with a double, followed up with a single by
Jessie Spurling.
Caity Journey was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. However, an inning-ending double play quickly diffused the surge. Wilmington added an insurance run in the fifth to extend the lead to 13, and when the Bishops failed to answer in the home half, the run rule was triggered to hand Ohio Wesleyan a 13-0 defeat.
Makenna Knisley (L, 2-5) got the start in the circle, going 2.1 innings and striking out one.
Olivia Basil relieved Knisley, tossing 0.2 innings.
Shelby Morris stepped into the circle next, going one inning.
Ava Peterman finished the game for the Bishops, throwing the final inning.
Ohio Wesleyan recorded just two hits in the opening contest.
Gist finished 1-for-1 with a double.
Spurling had one hit in two appearances.
GAME TWO: OHIO WESLEYAN 2, WILMINGTON 13
The Quakers picked up right where they left off in game one, scoring six runs on six hits in the top of the first. Wilmington added two more in the second, putting the Bishops in an 8-0 deficit.
In the bottom of the second, OWU scored their first run of the day.
Viera Barrett led the inning off with a single to left field.
Natalie Russell mimicked Barrett, also ripping a single to left field.
Kelsey Shiley then drew a walk to load the bases for the Red and Black. After
Caitlin Aleshire entered to pinch-run for Barrett,
Leah Collier laced the first pitch she saw to left, bringing Aleshire home to put a run on the board.
The Quakers continued to apply pressure in the middle frames, plating runs in the top of the third and fourth to push the lead to 12-1. In the bottom half of the fourth, Shiley came around to score after
Katie Enneking hit a sacrifice fly to center field. Wilmington tacked on a final run in the fifth, and with the Bishops' bats remaining silent in the home half, Ohio Wesleyan fell 13-2 to finalize the doubleheader sweep for the Quakers.
Ava Peterman (L, 0-1) got the start in the circle for game two, going 1.2 innings.
Emma Dahlstrom was the first in relief, tossing 2.1 innings.
Kennedy Dean finished the game, throwing one inning and striking out one.
Collier led the offense, going 2-for-2 with an RBI.
Shiley went 1-for-1 and came around to score once.
Barrett, Russell, and
Chameron Vanden Eynden all finished with one hit.
Aleshire scored one run.
UP NEXT
The Bishops will look to bounce back on Saturday as they travel to Denison for a doubleheader. Game one is set to get underway at 1:00 p.m., followed by game two at 3:00 p.m.
