Feb. 15, 2008

Box Score

GREENVILLE, N.C. - Freshman Emily Wethington struck out 11 batters in her career pitching debut as the Bobcats defeated Maine, 4-1, to start the 2008 season with a 2-0 record. The `Cats defeated Boston College, 4-2, earlier in the day. It is the first time since 1997 that the `Cats have started the season with back-to-back wins.

"I could not be more pleased with how things went today,"said Head Coach Jill Maytuch. "Against Boston College, we jumped ahead early and were able to build and hold the lead. Againt Maine, we were able to come back from a deficit. We exuded confidence in the box and were able to get two complete games out of our pitching staff. We still have to iron out some pre-season kinks, but we had a lot of bright spots in every aspect of the game."

Wethington (Palestine, Ind.) pitched a complete game, allowing only three hits and one run in the first win of her career. Alexis Souhlaris took the loss for the Black Bears, allowing seven hits, four runs and two walks in seven innings of action.

Wethington also contributed at the plate by scoring Ohio's first run of the game in the top of the fourth. Wethington reached on a fielder's choice before senior Kristen Salvatore (Kirtland, Ohio) lined a two-run home run to left field for a 2-1 Bobcat lead. The Black Bears had scored a run in the bottom of the first. It was only the second home run of Salvatore's career.

Ohio pushed its lead to 4-1 with two runs in the top of the fifth. Freshman Jordan Paden (Walla Walla, Wash.) scored the first run of her career on an RBI double by senior Courtney Waters (Eagle River, Alaska), who later scored on an RBI double by freshman Melissa Bonner (Kings Mills, Ohio). Waters and Bonner ended the game going 2-of-4 with an RBI each.

The Bobcats finished the game with four runs on seven hits and two errors, while the Black Bears scored one run on three hits with no errors.

The Pirate Invitational continues tomorrow with the `Cats squaring off with tourney host East Carolina at 12 p.m.