KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The Wittenberg softball team continued action in the Rebel Spring Games Tuesday, letting the bats do the work in a 7-4 win over Adrian before falling 3-2 to Webster. The Tigers are now 3-5 on the season.
In the early game, a four-run first inning followed by continued success at the plate combined with a strong outing from senior pitcher Melisa Shock (Bellbrook, Ohio/Bellbrook) to put the Tigers on top. Senior Cameron Catalfu (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) led the Tigers' first at bat off with the first of two consecutive walks, and sophomore Tori Amicon (Galloway, OHio/Hilliard Darby) loaded the bags with a single. That set the table for senior Jade Chivington (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Bellefontaine), who delivered a two-RBI double to open the scoring. Senior Haley Gerken (Logan, Ohio/Logan) followed with a two-RBI single to complete the opening volley.
Adrian scratched the board with one in the third inning and tacked on another in the top of the fourth. Wittenberg responded with two in the bottom of the fourth inning, though they had some help. After sophomore Jessica Snyder (Northfield, Ill./New Trier) singled and Gerken walked aboard, a wild pitch moved them both up a base, and an illegal pitch pushed Snyder across. Gerken later scored on an RBI single by sophomore Brooklyn Cox (Dayton, Ohio/Vandalia Butler) to push the lead back to four at 6-2.
Adrian added another in the top of the fifth, and Wittenberg again responded with one of their own when Gerken put the ball in play to tally the seventh run. Adrian posted one more in the seventh, but the rally never came and Wittenberg held on for the win. Shock went the entire game in the circle and allowed 11 hits to score just four runs, only three of them earned, while fanning seven and walking just one.
Cox finished the first game 2-for-2 with an RBI, while Chivington was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Gerken led everyone with three RBIs on a 1-for-2 outing.
The offense registered seven hits against Webster, just two short of their nine versus Adrian, but the offense did not produce in the same fashion. Catalfu led the game off with her second home run of the week and the season over the left field wall, and the Tigers added one in the third on an RBI single from Boswell, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Webster fought back and scored three in the last two innings to reverse the fortunes and finish off the close 3-2 game. Catalfu finished at 2-for-3 with a walk.
Boswell took the loss despite allowing just six hits with five strikeouts and a walk.
The Tigers have a free day Wednesday to enjoy the Florida sun, resuming play with a 3 p.m. game Thursday afternoon versus Chatham, followed by a 5 p.m. matchup with Westminster, both to be played at Oren Brown Field in Kissimmee, Fla.
Written by: John Strawn '07