Ohio Softball Splits Doubleheader with Kent State 

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Game One Box Score (PDF) | Game Two Box Score (PDF)

KENT, Ohio – The Ohio softball team (10-10, 6-5 MAC) returned to action on Saturday afternoon (April 3), splitting a doubleheader with Kent State (11-13, 8-3 MAC) at the Diamond at Dix. The Bobcats took game one, 8-6, before falling in game two, 6-5. 

GAME ONE: Ohio 8, Kent State 6
The Bobcats out-hit the Flashes, 10-9, and were led by junior first baseman Caroline Spacek (Beaumont, Texas), who went 2-for-3 with a homerun and three RBI and two runs scored. Freshman third baseman Annalia Paoli (Point Marion, Pa.) added two hits and a run scored, while senior catcher Brooke Rice (Mason, Ohio) had a hit and two RBI. 

Ohio struck first in the top of the first inning on a solo homerun from Spacek, giving Ohio an early 1-0 lead. Ohio added on in the top of the second, when Spacek drove in two more runs on an RBI single, putting the Bobcats up 3-0. 

The Flashes got on the board in the bottom of the second inning on a solo shot from senior infielder Kaitlyn Miller, cutting the Bobcats’ lead to 3-1. However, the Bobcats added on in the top of the third thanks to a two-RBI single from Rice, giving the Bobcats a 5-1 lead. 

Kent State responded, adding two runs in the bottom of the frame, cutting the Ohio lead to two. The Bobcats went on to take advantage of a Kent State defensive miscue in the top of the fourth inning, scoring two runs when the Flashes’ catcher committed an error on an attempted double steal by the Bobcats, extending the Ohio lead to 7-3. 

However, Kent State threatened to take control of the game in the fourth and fifth innings, scoring three runs to cut the Ohio lead to one late. The Bobcats were able to get a run back in the top of the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly from sophomore designated player Alexis Dawe (Valley Springs, Calif.), scoring graduate student second baseman Mikenzie Vaughn (Kennesaw, Ga.) from third, helping secure the 8-6 victory for the Bobcats.  

In the circle, senior pitcher Madi McCrady (Brimfield, Ohio) pitched 6.1 innings, allowing four runs on six hits and did not walk a batter while striking out two. Freshman pitcher Cassidy Zaker (Lancaster, Ohio) pitched two-thirds of an innings, allowing two runs on three hits, while walking one. 

For the Flashes, starting pitcher sophomore Gabbie Sherman pitched 3.2 innings, allowing six runs on nine hits, while sophomore Morgan Bowers pitched 3.1 innings, allowing two runs on one hit. 

GAME TWO: Kent State 6, Ohio 5
Kent State out-hit the Bobcats, 11-7 in the second game. Senior outfielder Allie Englant (Long Beach, Calif.) recorded two hits, one double and one run scored. Spacek picked up where she left off in game one with a homerun and two RBI. Paoli added a homerun, single and one RBI, while senior shortstop Katie Yun (North Canton, Ohio) added a double for the Bobcats. 

The Flashes struck in the bottom of the first innings, scoring three run on four hits to take an early 3-0 lead. Ohio got a run back in the top of the second inning thanks to a leadoff solo homerun from Paoli, cutting the Kent State lead to 3-1. However, Kent State got the run back in the bottom of the inning, taking a 4-1 lead after two innings. 

After a scoreless three innings, the Bobcats cut the Flashes’ lead to one in the top of the fifth inning after Spacek hit her second homerun of the day, a two-run shot to bring the score to 4-3 going to the bottom of the fifth inning. 

The Bobcat took their first lead of the game in the top of the sixth inning. After the Bobcats loaded the bases with one out, thanks in part to two walks, the Bobcats were able to capitalize on the help, scoring two runs when Englant reached first on a fielder’s choice and two Bobcats’ base runners scored on an error from the Flashes’ second baseman, giving Ohio a 5-4 lead. 

Unfortunately,, the Bobcats were unable to hold onto the late lead, with Kent State scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take the game, 6-5. 

In the circle, junior pitcher Mackensie Kohl (Corona Del Mar, Calif.) pitched six innings, allowing six runs, four earned, on 11 hits. Kohl walked one and struck out two batters. For Kent State, freshman Jessica LeBeau pitched seven innings, allowed five runs, three earned, on seven hits, walked three and struck out 13. 

UP NEXT
The Bobcats wrap up the four game series on Sunday (April 4). First pitch is set for Noon ET inside the Diamond at Dix. 

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