GREENCASTLE, Ind. - The Wittenberg Tigers started the day with designs on a four-game sweep of the week's North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) games. While their hopes of a regular season championship and hosting privileges in next weekend's league tournament were likely dashed by a split at DePauw, the team's hopes for a berth in the postseason competition remain very much intact.
Wittenberg dropped the opener to DePauw 5-0 but rallied to pick up a clutch 2-1 win in Game 2 to remain in a virtual deadlock for second place in the NCAC regular season standings with just two games to play. The Tigers, who stand 19-7 overall and 9-5 in the NCAC, will round out the regular season league schedule with a doubleheader at Hiram on Saturday, April 26.
DePauw leads the tightly packed league title chase with an 11-3 record. Denison leads Wittenberg by percentage points but still must play four games over the weekend, compared to just two for the Tigers. Allegheny, Ohio Wesleyan, Hiram and Kenyon all remain mathematically in contention as well.
Only the top four teams in the final league standings earn berths in the NCAC Tournament.
Game 1 went DePauw's way after the host Tigers broke open a pitcher's duel with one run in the fifth inning and four more in the sixth. Wittenberg managed just three hits, all singles, in the game and stranded six runners as DePauw committed three errors in the game.
The pitching loss went to senior Rachel Ross (Westerville, Ohio/South), who scattered seven hits and one walk but allowed five earned runs. She was supported by just three Tiger hits - one each for freshman Abby Baker (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield), freshman Casey Hobbs (Fairborn, Ohio/Carroll) and sophomore Shannon Lance (Loveland, Ohio/Kings).
The nightcap went Wittenberg's way, in large part thanks to four outstanding innings in relief by freshman Alyssa Durette (Geneva, NY/Geneva). She allowed just three walks and did not walk a DePauw batter to secure the pitching victory, her fifth against just one loss on the season.
Sophomore Loren Combs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) led the offense with two hits and a run scored, while Baker drove in both runs. She had a fielder's choice ground-out in the third inning and the game-winning RBI double in the fifth.