SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - A whirlwind day awaited the Wittenberg Tiger softball team at Betty Dillahunt Softball Complex, but who could have guessed it would be this quick? It took just over three hours to complete both games, including the late game which ended halfway through the fifth after the Tigers caused the 10-run rule to go into effect. The final scores were 7-0 in the early game and 12-0 in the later one.
Exploding from the plate in the early contest was junior first baseman Julie Ziegler (Sandusky, Ohio/Perkins), who hit a home run in each of her two official at-bats. Senior right fielder Nicole Ottavi (Columbus, Ohio/Whetstone) also provided two RBI, going 2-for-3 on the day. Senior shortstop Sarah Fetters (Woodhaven, Mich./Maumee (Ohio)), sophomore starting pitcher Brooke Boswell (Hamilton, Ohio/Fairfield), and senior left fielder Amy Myser (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) all contributed an RBI each as well.
Boswell made another stunning performance from the mound, throwing a two-hitter with two strikeouts, while walking only one and picking up the complete game shutout. She moves to 6-3 on the season, with a dominating 1.44 ERA in 63 innings of work.
The second game was more of the same, as Wittenberg this time blew open the lead to 12 with a nine run fourth inning, leaving Wooster three outs in the top of the fifth to try and earn three runs to keep the 10-run rule from going into effect. But the Tiger defense was too strong, keeping two grounders from doing any damage and catching one pop fly to end the inning, invoke the rule, and end the game.
Among the cluttered offensive statistics is the stout Wittenberg fourth inning, when the Tigers drove home nine runs in a series of seeing-eye grounders, line drives, and Wooster errors. In 13 at-bats, the Tigers put together eight hits, two stolen bases, and reached on two errors to make the fireworks happen. Five hitters registered RBIs for Wittenberg, and all of them finished with two. Those hitters include Fetters, Ottavi, Ziegler, Myser, and sophomore centerfielder Cameron Catalfu (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland). For the day, that puts Ziegler and Ottavi at four RBI each.
From the mound, junior starting pitcher Rachael Hatcher (West Carrollton, Ohio/West Carrollton) threw just as much of an outstanding game as Boswell, but Boswell has the advantage of a full seven innings in which to pitch. Hatcher was replaced for the fifth by freshman hurler Kim Mowrey (Delaware, Ohio/Olentangy). Before leaving, Hatcher struck out three while walking one and allowing just one hit. Her ERA now stands at 2.55 in 46-2/3 innings, while her record matches Boswell's at 6-3. Mowrey threw to three batters in the fifth, each of them retired on balls put in play.
The Tigers get ready to take on Kenyon at home on Tuesday, April 8, starting at 3:30 p.m.