WOOSTER, Ohio – The Wittenberg softball team exploded for five runs in the 10th inning of the opening game of a doubleheader split with Wooster on Sunday, moving to 14-7 overall and 5-5 in the North Coast Athletic Conference in the process.
Junior Rachel Ross (Westerville, Ohio/South) earned her third consecutive win in the pitcher's circle in the first game, throwing all 10 innings of the contest to help the Tigers to a 7-2 victory.
The Fighting Scots jumped on Wittenberg in game two, scoring one run in the first inning and four in the second, while the Tigers answered with one run in the fourth.
Ross and an errorless defense limited Wooster to two runs in the first game despite 10 hits. Wooster opened the scoring with a run in the second inning before Wittenberg responded with two in the third on a home run by junior Laura Rose (Riverside, Ohio/Stebbins). The Scots evened things up with one in the fifth, and the 2-2 deadlock remained in place through the end of seven innings and right on through two extra frames.
In the 10th inning, the international tiebreaker rule went into effect, placing a runner on second base at the start of each half of the inning. Wittenberg capitalized immediately when junior Kaitie Harrison (Springfield, Ohio/Kenton Ridge) singled in the runner, Ross.
That opened the floodgates as four more runs poured in, starting with a successful double steal executed by freshman Lacey Eigel (Pickerington, Ohio/North), who scored on the play, and freshman Aubrey Mendez (St. Louisville, Ohio/Utica).
Wooster was unable to answer in the bottom of the 10th as Ross put the Scots down in order. Ross finished with a line of 10 hits, two earned runs, two strikeouts and two walks and improved to 9-3 on the season.
Rose finished the game 2-5 with two RBIs, both on her home run. Harrison ended the game 2-4 with an RBI, and freshman Loren Combs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) and freshman Kaela Hughes (Columbus, Ohio/Watterson) each pushed across a run.
In game two, the Tigers were unable to overcome Wooster's early outburst. The team hit safely six times, led by a 2-3 outing by Rose. She led off the fourth with a single, stole second and scored on an error in the outfield.
Wittenberg continues NCAC action on Wednesday, April 17, in a home engagement with DePauw beginning at 3:30 p.m. at Betty Doughman Dillahunt Field.
John Strawn '07