Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 BEREA, Ohio – The No. 18 Mount Union softball team (32-6, 29-5 OAC) swept the Yellow Jackets of Baldwin Wallace (21-15, 19-15 OAC) in an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader at the BW Softball Field Saturday afternoon with a game one score of 8-5 and a game two score of 4-3 after eight innings.
Game One
Leading the way for the Purple Raiders was senior Brooklyn Hellman (Canton / Massillon Jackson) who went two for three on the day with one RBI and scored three runs. Hellman's second run in the game put her on top of the all-time list for runs in a season with 51. Seniors Maggie Dominick (Dennison / Tuscarawas Catholic Central) and Allie Goldy (Painesville / Riverside) sent back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning. Senior Maddie Pidgeon (Salem / West Branch) went 2-4 with three RBIs and a triple and a double on the game.
Hellman got things started for the Purple Raiders with a walk and advanced to second on a stolen base making that 41 on the season. Heath doubled over the pitcher to send Hellman home as the Raiders led the Yellow Jackets 1-0 after the top of the first. Baldwin Wallace rallied back putting up three runs in the first inning. In the third inning, Dominick got things going as she sent a solo shot clear over the centerfield fence. Goldy wanted one for herself and followed it up by sending a ball clear over the left-field fence to knot up the game at 3-3. In the fourth inning, the Raiders continued to rally as a single from Hellman drove in senior Alexis French (Avon Lake / Magnificat) followed by a double from Pidgeon to send in senior Savannah Miner (Louisville / Louisville) and Hellman. Baldwin Wallace jumped right back in off a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth as the Raiders remained on top 6-5. A triple from Pidgeon in the sixth inning drove in Hellman as the Raiders extended their lead back to two at 7-5. The Raiders would finish off the day as a double from junior Alyssa Rose (Madison/Madison) sent home freshman Courtney Kenworthy (Kent/Theodore Roosevelt) to give the Raiders the 8-5 victory.
In the circle for the Raiders was junior Ashley Cascio (Elyria / Elyria Catholic) who went 5.0 innings facing 27 batters throwing 55 strikes to improve to 2-0 on the season. Coming in for the remaining two innings was Rose who struck out two of her last three batters of the game and is awarded the save.
Game Two
Leading the way for Mount Union was sophomore Grace Heath (Beloit / West Branch) who went 4-4 on the day with one RBI, three runs with a triple, and a solo home run to right-center. Pidgeon also came in clutch situations going 2-4 with two RBIs, one of which being the game-winning run.
The Yellow Jackets struck first driving in their first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. There was a pitching battle through the second and third innings, but Heath broke up the scoring rut by sending a solo home run shot over the rightfield fence. The Raiders continued to show their offense in the sixth inning as a single from Pidgeon turned into her heading to third sending Miner home as well as Heath on a throwing error put the Raiders up 3-1. Baldwin Wallace came charging back with a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to tie things back up at 3-3. Both teams blanked in the seventh sending the game into extra innings. The Raiders found some last-minute life as a triple by Heath gave Pidgeon the energy to drive a single right up the middle to give the Raiders the 4-3 lead. Rose would battle in the bottom of the inning but solidified the win as she sent the last batter back to the dugout looking on a strike three pitch.
Pitching for the Raiders was junior Rose who improves to 10-2 on the season going through all eight innings striking out five batters with 82 strikes on the game.
Due to inclement weather, the finale doubleheader with the Yellow Jackets has been canceled and Mount Union will await the official seeding for the OAC Tournament. The Raiders will host a to-be-determined opponent on 23rd St. Field on Thursday, May 13 at 4 pm.
