GAMBIER, Ohio - A challenging weekend road trip ended with a hard-fought doubleheader split at Kenyon for the Wittenberg Tigers, who dropped a nine-inning decision in the opener before rallying to double up the Ladies in the nightcap.
The split decision left Wittenberg with records of 12-12 overall and 5-3 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), heading into another road date on Tuesday, April 14, at Oberlin. The Tigers are in third place in the league standings as they hit the halfway point of the regular season title chase. Kenyon is now 24-8 overall and 5-5 in the league.
In the opener, the Tigers staged a rally to send the game to extra innings. After Kenyon took the lead with single runs in the first and fifth innings, Wittenberg battled back, first on a home run by freshman Charlee Clark (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) in the sixth inning and then on clutch RBI single by sophomore Abby Baker (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) that scored senior Shelby Knapp (Springfield, Ohio/Springfield) in the seventh.
After neither team scored in the eighth inning, Kenyon ended the game with one out in the ninth on a sacrifice fly against freshman Chelsea Zang (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton). Zang went the distance in the pitcher's circle for the Tigers, allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out five Kenyon batters.
In Game 2, Wittenberg pounded out 10 hits, including a whopping six doubles. Clark and Baker each hit two of the doubles, while junior Shannon Lance (Loveland, Ohio/Kings) drove in a pair from her leadoff spot in the batting order. Sophomore Casey Hobbs (Fairborn, Ohio/Carroll) finished 3-for-4, finishing a home run away from hitting for the cycle, with two runs scored and an RBI.
The Tigers needed the offense in a game that was tied at 3-3 through four innings. Wittenberg scored once in the fifth and twice in the sixth to make a winner out of freshman Abby Haab (Dublin, Ohio/Jerome), who started and completed four innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits. Zang relieved to pick up the save as she allowed just one baserunner in three scoreless innings.
Written By: Ryan Maurer