GRANVILLE, Ohio - The Wittenberg softball team faced off with North Coast Athletic Conference first-place Denison Tuesday evening and came away with a 1-0, 3-7 split to hang tough in the race to the conference tournament. The Tigers moved to 5-3 in the NCAC and 13-15 overall.
The Tigers entered the doubleheader tied with Hiram for second place in the NCAC at 4-2. Hiram split with the College of Wooster while third-place Ohio Wesleyan swept Kenyon to improve to 5-3. Wittenberg, Hiram and Ohio Wesleyan now all share second-place with matching 5-3 records. The NCAC Tournament includes the top four teams following the conclusion of the regular season in a double-elimination championship.
Reigning NCAC Pitcher of the Week Brooke Boswell (Hamilton, Ohio/Fairfield) pitched another brilliant seven innings in the 1-0 win in Game 1, allowing just four hits in the outing. The Tiger offense came up with just one run but it was all they needed thanks to Boswell. Senior Cameron Catalfu (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) doubled home senior Haley Gerken (Logan, Ohio/Logan) in the fifth for what would become the game-winning run.
In Game 2, the Denison bats came alive against Boswell, and she left in the fifth after four-plus innings in which she allowed seven hits to score four runs on two walks and a strikeout. Sophomore Anna Kvartunas (Springfield, Va./Paul VI Catholic) threw 1-1/3 innings in relief and allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits. Senior Melisa shock (Bellbrook, Ohio/Bellbrook) closed out the game with a two-out appearance.
Junior Jessi Allen (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) provided the Tigers with all three of their runs in the first inning when she ripped a bases-clearing three-run double to left-center field.
Three conference doubleheaders remain for the Tigers, but before they take on Wooster at home on Saturday, April 24, they host non-conference opponent Mount St. Joseph for a 3:30 p.m. engagement on Thursday, April 22.