SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - To become one of the best, a team must compete against the best. Unfortunately for the Wittenberg Tigers, they are taking their lumps while aspiring to become one of the top teams in the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region. The latest were administered by nationally ranked perennial powerhouse Muskingum in a home doubleheader sweep by scores of 10-3 and 16-5.
Including a game played in Kissimmee, Fla., during Spring Break for both schools, Muskingum has outscored Wittenberg by a whopping 44-8 in three games. The Tigers evened their overall record at 6-6 with the losses, while Muskingum, ranked fourth in the latest national poll, improved to 12-2 on the young season.
With airtight defense, the Tigers might be more competitive with the Muskies. In the three games, the Tigers have committed 13 errors, leading to 15 unearned runs and countless more scoring opportunities for the Muskies.
Offensively, Wittenberg did break through a bit, scoring three runs against one of the pitchers in the nation, Erica Hoyt, in Game 1. After getting shut down by Hoyt in Florida, Wittenberg got RBI hits from sophomores Sarah Fetters and Nicole Ottavi. Freshman Alisha Degenhart allowed just eight hits and three walks, including two Muskingum home runs, but she was victimized by the errors as she was charged with just four earned runs out of the 10 that crossed the plate. In Game 2, the Tigers picked up five runs in the run-rule shortened game, highlighted by Taryn Hensel's first career home run in the second inning, a three-run job.