SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The Wittenberg softball team wrested control of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) from former frontrunner Allegheny with a doubleheader sweep of the Gators Saturday, winning 3-2 in game one before an offensive outburst won game two 7-2.
The Tigers entered the day 3-1 in conference action, second to Allegheny, who came to Springfield defending a perfect 4-0 record in league play. The sweep improved Wittenberg to 20-8 overall and 5-1 in the NCAC while dropping the Gators to 4-2 in the conference and 17-6-1 overall.
In game one, freshman pitcher Julia Williams (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South)limited Allegheny to two runs in the third despite allowing nine hits. Wittenberg was efficient, converting four hits into three runs in the game with the aid of an Allegheny error.
Wittenberg answered Allegheny's pair with their own in the bottom of the third on RBI singles by senior Jessica Snyder (Northfield, Ill./New Trier) and sophomoreLaura Rose (Riverside, Ohio/Stebbins). That set the table for some heroics in the fifth by Rose.
Snyder reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a wild pitch before moving to third on a single by freshman Carly Cribbs (Rochester, Mich./Rochester). The Tigers put a play on before sending Rose to the plate, where she leveled her bat on the first pitch and laid a squeeze bunt down the third base line, slow enough to allow Snyder to score and earning Rose an RBI bunt single.
Williams kept Allegheny quiet through the sixth and seventh to make the small ball strategy stand up.
With the win under their belts, the Tigers stood tied with Allegheny entering game two, meaning the winner of the nightcap would take the conference lead back home. The Tigers broke out the bats and settled this one by a wider 7-2 margin.
Wittenberg scored all seven runs in the third inning to take a 7-0 lead on five hits with the help of two Allegheny errors. Senior Brooklyn Cox (Dayton, Ohio/Vandalia Butler), Snyder, Cribbs and Rose each singled to start the rally, Rose picking up two more RBIs in the process.
Senior Tori Amicon (Galloway, Ohio/Hilliard Darby) reached on a dropped throw at first, scoring Cribbs, before a wild pitch plated Rose to make it 4-0. Senior Fallon White (Fairborn, Ohio/Northmont) reached on a throwing error and sophomoreKaitie Harrison (Springfield, Ohio/Kenton Ridge) singled through the right side to score sophomore Rachel Ross (Westerville, Ohio/South) and Cox brought in White on a ground out to complete the attack.
Allegheny picked up solo runs in the fourth and sixth but failed to pull off the comeback thanks to sturdy pitching by Ross, who cruised to her seventh consecutive pitching victory and a 10-3 overall record on five hits, two runs, one earned, six strikeouts and no walks over seven innings.
John Strawn '07