DELAWARE, Ohio – The Ohio Wesleyan University softball team hosted Otterbein for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon. The Battling Bishops surrendered a 5-3 loss in game one but bounced back to take game two 6-3 – win number 299 in the career of head coach
Cassie Cunningham.
Ohio Wesleyan advances to 7-25 on the season while Otterbein becomes 11-21.
GAME ONE: OHIO WESLEYAN 3, OTTERBEIN 5
Otterbein took the lead in the top of the first inning, scoring twice. The Bishops got a runner on base with a single in each of the first three innings, but were unable to threaten until the fourth inning. After shutting down the Cardinals in the second, third, and fourth innings, the Red and Black claimed the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, making it a 3-2 ballgame.
Rylea Gist started the fourth inning off with a single to right center before stealing second and advancing to third on a ground out. She crossed the plate as OWU's first run on a bunt single by
Caity Journey.
Lexi Stratton subbed in for Journey on the basepaths and advanced to second on a
Kelsey Shiley single up the middle. With runners on first and second,
Katie Enneking sent a single through the left side to score Stratton and advance Shiley to second.
Megan Tooill then loaded the bases on a walk, sending
Caitlin Aleshire – pinch-running for Shiley – to third and Enneking to second. Aleshire came in to score as the Bishops' third and final run on a single through the left side by
Shelby Morris.
The Ohio Wesleyan lead was unfortunately short-lived as Otterbein responded with three runs in the top of the fifth inning, working the bases loaded and scoring with a station-to-station mentality. The Battling Bishops were shut out for the remainder of the game, tallying just one more hit in the sixth, leading to a 5-3 final score.
Emma Dahlstrom (L, 0-5) got the start and pitched the first 4.2 innings, allowing five earned runs on eight hits and three walks.
Makenna Knisley pitched 2.1 innings of one-hit softball to finish the game, walking one two and striking out one.
Enneking and Shiley were both 2-for-3 at the plate. Enneking also drove a run home.
Journey and Morris both went 1-for-3 with an RBI each.
Gist scored a run and went 1-for-4.
Aleshire and Stratton scored the remaining two runs.
GAME TWO: OHIO WESLEYAN 6, OTTERBEIN 3
Ohio Wesleyan nabbed a one-run lead after two-and-a-half scoreless innings courtesy of
Chameron Vanden Eynden. Vanden Eynden reached on a bunt single before stealing second and advancing to third on an error. She then scored on a
Rylee Myers triple to left center.
Otterbein momentarily claimed the lead with three in the top of the fifth inning before OWU stole in the bottom half with three runs of their own. The Battling Bishops put runners on second and third with singles by
Lexi Stratton and Vanden Eynden and a sacrifice bunt by Myers. Rylee Gist scored both alongside herself on a little-league home run, tripling to left and coming home on an error on the play.
The Red and Black tacked on two more in the sixth on their way to a 6-3 victory. Again, the Bishops put runners on second and third with a
Shelby Morris double and a Stratton single and steal. Vanden Eynden scored Morris on a sac fly to right before Myers singled up the middle to score Stratton.
Olivia Basil (W, 3-9) pitched a complete game allowing just three earned runs on five hits and five walks with seven strikeouts.
Gist and Myers both went 2-for-3 at the plate with a triple and two RBIs. Gist also scored a run.
Stratton hit 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Vanden Eynden ended the day 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Morris was 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored.
UP NEXT
The Battling Bishops hit the road on Saturday, traveling to Kenyon for a doubleheader at 1 and 3 p.m.
