GRANVILLE, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers appeared to have momentum going into the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament, but it was not to be as Wittenberg lost 4-1 in the first round to top-seeded Denison and 1-0 in the consolation bracket to second-seeded Kenyon.
The two losses brought Wittenberg's 2006 season to an abrupt end. The Tigers finished with a 21-18 overall record, including a mark of 8-6 in the NCAC regular season, good for a three-way tie for third place in the final standings.
After the first day of the double elimination tournament, Denison is clearly in the drivers' seat after defeating fourth-seeded Wittenberg and third-seeded Ohio Wesleyan. The Battling Bishops and Kenyon will play an elimination game Saturday morning, with the winner needing to then sweep a pair from the Big Red to earn the NCAC's automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament.
The Tigers had won five straight and seven of their previous eight games coming into the conference tourney, thanks in part to a revived offense and tighter defense. Both betrayed Wittenberg on Friday as the Tigers managed just four hits in the two games combined and two errors opened the door for Denison to score four unearned runs in the first inning of the opener.
Against Denison, the Tigers got a Lucy Huelsman single in the first inning and that was all offensively. They did manage to manufacture an unearned run in the fourth inning as Stephanie Zorn walked and scored on a two-base error by the Denison centerfielder on a ball hit by Nicole Ottavi.
In the elimination game against Kenyon, the Tigers were stymied on three hits and no walks. Huelsman had two hits and Grace Wigton added one in her only plate appearance. No Wittenberg runner passed second base.
Hatcher was in the pitchers' circle again for the Tigers, and she came up aces again, allowing five hits and one walk in her 21st complete game of the season. However, Kenyon got something cooking in the bottom of the seventh inning, and the Ladies ended things on a one-out single to right field.