May 5, 2007

Box Score

ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio softball team lost 5-1 to Eastern Michigan on Saturday in game one of a two-game weekend series.

Ohio (23-28, 10-11) finished with one run on one hit and committed two errors while Eastern Michigan (22-20, 12-5) scored five runs on six hits with two errors.

"We have to be mentally tough to make some adjustments," said Head Coach Jill Matyuch. "We needed to put the ball in play and we failed to do that. We need to be better hitters and be able to make adjustments throughout the game."

Junior MIchelle Sauter (Chehalis, Wash.) took the loss for Ohio in her 29th start of the season. Sauter (15-12) allowed five runs on four hits in 5.2 innings pitched. She walked zero and struck out one. Natalie Armstrong (Murrysville, Pa.) pitched 1.1 innings in relief.

Eastern Michigan's Heather Han hit a home run to put the Eagles on the board first in the top of the second inning for a 1-0 advantage.

Kelly Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) scored Ohio's lone run in the bottom of the second. Rodriguez reached first on an error by the Eagles' third baseman, advanced to second on a ground ball and scored on an error by the Eagles' pitcher to tie the game 1-1.

Eastern Michigan was the only team to score for the remainder of the game, getting two runs in both the third and sixth innings for the victory.

Game two of the series is tomorrow at 1 p.m. at the Ohio Softball Field. It will be Senior Day and all six Bobcat seniors will be recognized at the beginning of the game. The Bobcats will also hold an autograph session after the game.

Sunday is also Youth Day and Strikeout Cancer Day. Admission is free for fans ages 3-18, while half of all ticket proceeds go to Relay for Life. Strikeout Cancer Day is supported by Ohio Relay for Life and Colleges Against Cancer.