SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – After dropping a tight 1-0 contest to Kenyon to open a doubleheader, Wittenberg softball dropped a 10-2 surprise on the Ladies in an exciting walk-off win.
The Tigers moved to 13-3 overall and 3-1 in the North Coast Athletic Conference with the split.
Leading 9-1 in the second game after a three-run first inning, four-run third and two-run fourth, the Tigers needed to a clean top of the fifth to secure a run-rule victory without having to bat again. The Ladies, however, had other plans, as Chelsea Delaney homered on a 2-2 pitch to bring the lead back under the eight-run margin.
Freshman Casey Hobbs (Fairborn, Ohio/Carroll) might as well have shaken hands with Delaney to accept the challenge. Hobbs stepped to the plate and drove the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth over the center field wall to bring the lead back to eight and trigger the run rule for the win.
For Hobbs, it was the second home run of the season following a two-run shot versus Wooster on April 1.
Senior Kaitie Harrison (Springfield, Ohio/Kenton Ridge) and freshman Abby Baker (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) led the lineup with 2-for-3 outings and two RBIs each. Harrison drove in the Tigers' first runs with a two-RBI single to right in the first inning, and Baker notched two RBI singles into center field.
Sophomore Kaela Hughes (Columbus, Ohio/Watterson) also drove in two runs, pushing the pair in on the first of two third-inning triples. Sophomore Shannon Lance (Loveland, Ohio/Kings) tripled to right field later in the inning for an RBI. Hughes and Lance each finished 1-for-2.
Senior Laura Rose (Riverside, Ohio/Stebbins) also homered in the game, extending her program-record to 11 career home runs with a fourth-inning blast to right-center field.
Freshman Alyssa Durette (Geneva, NY/Geneva) was solid in the pitching circle, keeping Kenyon to just two runners-in-scoring-position opportunities in the game. Her final line included five hits, two runs, both earned on solo home runs, with one strikeout and no walks. She improved to 4-1 with the victory.
Sophomore Loren Combs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin), Harrison and Lance combined for a sparkling fourth inning behind Durette defensively. Combs snagged a line shot at short before Harrison got in front of another hard-hit liner, absorbed a ricochet to her chin and threw to first for the groundout in the next at bat, and Lance ran down a fly ball in dramatic fashion for the third out in a one-two-three inning.
In the opening contest, Wittenberg was limited to five hits in an outstanding performance from Kenyon pitcher Maddy Stark. Senior Tiger hurler Rachel Ross (Westerville, Ohio/South) was solid as well, recovering from five walks to get four strikeouts and allow only one run on nine hits.
Hobbs was 2-for-3 in the game while Combs and Hughes were 1-for-3 and junior Ashlee Wright (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont) was 1-for-2.
The Tigers continue the NCAC schedule on Saturday, April 12, hosting Allegheny College at 1 p.m. at Betty Dillahunt Field.
John Strawn '07