May 3, 2006

Box Score

ATHENS, Ohio - The pitching tandem of Natalie Armstrong (Murrysville, Ohio) and Candace Warden (Hagerstown, Md.) held Dayton to one run on six hits in leading the Ohio softball team to a 2-1 victory over the Flyers.

The Bobcats improve to 25-35 on the year with the win. The victory also snapped a four-game losing streak for Ohio. The game concluded the non-conference portion of Ohio's schedule with the Bobcats finishing the year with a 19-23 mark against out-of-conference opponents.

Armstrong got the start and the win for Ohio to improve to 4-4 this season. She pitched three innings, allowing one earned run on four hits while striking out two. Warden threw the final four frames, surrendering only two hits to pick up her third save of the year.

Alicia Catlette (Mogadore, Ohio) provided all the offense Armstrong and Warden would need. Trailing 1-0 going into the fourth inning, the Bobcats scored twice behind the hitting of Catlette to take the lead they would not relinquish.

Kelly Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) led off the fourth with a single to right and advanced to second on a sac bunt. One out later, Robin Miller (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) walked and Rodriguez and Miller pulled off a double steal to put runners on second and third. Catlette followed with a double to left-center to score both Rodriguez and Miller to give the Bobcats the lead.

Catlette finished the game 2-for-3 with two runs batted in to pace the Bobcat attack. Debbie Szalejko (Beavercreek, Ohio), Shannon Weidner (Pickerington, Ohio), Kristen Salvatore (Kirtland, Ohio) and Rodriguez also added hits for Ohio.

The Bobcats will make a push for the Mid-American Conference Tournament this weekend with two-game series versus Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan. Ohio currently trails Miami by one game for the final spot in the Mid-American Conference Tournament. The Bobcats play Eastern Michigan Friday in a doubleheader and will take on Central Michigan in one-game sets Saturday and Sunday in the final weekend of the regular season.