CLERMONT, Fla. – Wittenberg softball finally got to starts its 2014 season and did so in style with a pair of wins at the Dot Richardson Spring Games on Monday.
The Tigers run-ruled Northwestern (MN) with a 13-0, six-inning win in the first game, and then went on to take a 6-1 decision from Lesley.
In the first game, the Tigers scored three runs over the first four innings before exploding for 10 runs in the sixth inning. The outburst was powered primarily by three home runs, first a three-run blast by sophomore Kaela Hughes (Columbus, Ohio/Watterson), then another three-run homer from junior Ashlee Wright (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont), and concluding with a two-run knock from freshman Abby Baker (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) in her collegiate debut.
For Hughes, it amounted to a four-RBI game, after she also doubled in a run in the second. Senior Laura Rose (Riverside, Ohio/Stebbins), senior Kaitie Harrison (Springfield, Ohio/Kenton Ridge) and sophomore Shannon Lance (Loveland, Ohio/Kings) also counted an RBI in the final box. Lance's came on a 2-for-3 game at the plate, while Baker was perfect at 3-for-3 with a walk, crossing the plate each time she reached for four runs.
Freshman Alyssa Durette (Geneva, NY/Geneva) dominated in her collegiate pitching premier, holding Northwestern to three hits and a walk over six innings while striking out five batters.
In the second game, it was more of the same as Wittenberg piled up 11 hits against Lesley's four. The Tigers struck for three runs in the third and again in the fifth as senior Rachel Ross (Westerville, Ohio/South) limited the opponents to four hits and one run over seven innings. She allowed five walks but countered with six strikeouts.
The big hits in this one came courtesy Rose, who doubled in two runs in the third and doubled in another run in the sixth. She finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Ross and Wright each doubled in a run, while sophomore Loren Combs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) was 3-for-4 at the dish and stole three bases.
The Tigers continue their Spring Break excursion on Tuesday, March 11, with a 5 p.m. game versus Millikin and a 7 p.m. contest against Haverford at the National Training Center in Clermont.
John Strawn '07