Tigers Take Down Rutgers-Camden, Trinity (Conn.)

CLERMONT, Fla. – Wittenberg softball wrapped up a highly successful spring break trip to Florida with a pair of run-rule victories on Saturday, handing defeats to Rutgers-Camden and Trinity (Conn.) by score of 9-0 and 12-0, respectively, in five innings each.

The Tigers improved to 9-1 on the season in one of their most outstanding spring weeks to date.

Against Rutgers-Camden, Wittenberg was not interested in wasting time and put a five-spot on the board in the fifth inning. That came as senior Laura Rose (Riverside, Ohio/Stebbins) drove in a run on a single, as did senior Kaitie Harrison (Springfield, Ohio/Kenton Ridge) and freshman Abby Baker (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield), before freshman Casey Hobbs (Fairborn, Ohio/Carroll) singled in a pair.

In the bottom of the second, Rose tacked on another RBI with a sacrifice fly, and in the third junior Shelby Knapp (Springfield, Ohio/Springfield) brought a run around with a single.

The Tigers capped off the scoring with an RBI double by senior Rachel Ross (Westerville, Ohio/South) and another RBI single from Harrison.

Ross also picked up the victory in the circle by virtue of her scoreless five innings of work, in which she allowed just three hits and no walks while striking out four batters.

Rose finished 1-for-2 with two RBIs and Harrison was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs driven in. Ross was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Hobbs was 1-for-2, as were Knapp and Rose. Sophomore Loren Combs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) stole two bases and Rose swiped one.

The Tigers were again in a hurry against Trinity, scoring four times in the opening frame. But the big damage was done in the fourth inning with six runs coming across, while a single run scored in both the second and fifth.

The opening rally was sparked by a Ross RBI single, and on the same play a costly Trinity error allowed two more to score. Harrison drove in a run with a triple before junior Ashlee Wright (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont) brought another Harrison in.

In the second, Rose doubled a run home. The sixth-inning surge started with a two-run double by Harrison, and Baker followed with a bases-clearing double to score three before Hobbs earned a sacrifice fly for one run.

The one-run icing in the fifth inning came when Trinity failed to put out any runners in a bases-loaded situation, giving freshman Leah Markovich (Delta, Ohio/Delta) the RBI on a fielder's choice.

Ross started this one and went four innings, again allowing just three hits and striking out four, though Trinity touched her for a walk. Sophomore Lacey Eigel (Pickerington, Ohio/North) contributed an inning of relief.

The additional victory moved Ross to 7-0 on the season. Combs counted a 2-for-4 outing with three runs scored and three stolen bases. Rose finished the game 2-for-2 with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored. Harrison went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, a line that Baker duplicated.

The Tigers kick off their home slate on Saturday, March 22, with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Thomas More.

John Strawn '07