April 13, 2007

Box Score

ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio (17-19, 6-4 MAC) softball team scored a season-high 15 runs in game one of Friday's doubleheader at Buffalo (3-31, 1-5 MAC). The Bobcats dominated the Bulls, 15-1, in the opener but lost game two, 5-4.

"As a team, we decided that the only way to keep warm was to keep getting on base and we did a great job of doing that," said Head Coach Jill Matyuch. "We hit well."

"In the second game, Buffalo did everything they had to do to win that game. We hit the ball well, but they just made plays. Give credit to their resolve to come back from game one."

The Bobcats also totaled a season-best 15 hits and 15 RBI in the first game. Allie Farrington (Wilton, NH) went 4-for-4 while adding two RBI and a run. Marian Davis matched her career-highs with three hits and four RBI. She was 3-for-4.

Ohio took control early on by scoring two runs in the top of first inning. Davis hit a single RBI to score Shalene Petrich (Chehalis, Wash.) and Candace Saucedo (Ontario, Calif.) singled then scored two batters later on an error. The Bobcats were up 2-1 after Buffalo scored a run in its half of the first inning and both teams went scoreless in the second.

Twelve runs in the top of the third set the Bobcats up for the five-inning victory. Ohio's first three runs of the inning were scored when Davis hit a two-RBI double and later scored after Kristen Salvatore (Kirtland, Ohio) reached on an error. Alicia Catlette (Mogadore, Ohio) followed with a RBI double to score Salvatore for Ohio's fourth run. Farrington then hit her first career home run to score both her and Catlette. Petrich scored the seventh run on a RBI single by Kelly Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) and Saucedo scored the next run on an error. Amanda Sacks (Chugiak, Alaska) then hit a grand slam home run for Ohio's next four runs, giving the Bobcats a 14-1 advantage.

Danielle Kelly scored Ohio's fifteenth run of the game in the fourth inning on a RBI single by Rachel Denham (West Chester, Ohio).

Michelle Sauter (Chehalis, Wash.) gained her third straight victory after putting in three innings of work in the pitching circle. She struck out two batters, allowed one run and held the Bulls to only two hits.

In game two, Davis and Rodriguez split Ohio's four runs with two apiece.

Ohio was first on the board with one run in the second inning. Catlette hit a RBI single to score Davis. Buffalo countered with five runs in the its half of the inning to take a 5-1 lead that the Bulls kept until Ohio scored two more runs in the fifth inning to come within two at 5-3.

Rodriguez hit a two-out home run to score Ohio's first run of the fifth and Saucedo then hit a RBI single with two outs to score Davis for Ohio's second run.

Natalie Armstrong (Murrysville, Pa.) took the loss for Ohio, allowing five runs and four hits.

The Bobcats came up short in the seventh inning by scoring just one run. Rodriguez scored on a RBI single by Davis.

Ohio continues it four-game road swing tomorrow at Kent State. The game starts at 2 p.m.