The Shawnee State Bears (14-2, 6-0) took two games from the rival Redstorm of Rio Grande (11-6, 4-2) on Thursday afternoon. With the pair of wins the Bears are the only remaining team in the conference unbeaten.
The Bears showcased a strong duo as Ali Thompson (Franklin Furnace, OH) and Tara Prater (Hilliard, OH) both were able to go the distance in each game.
In the first game the Redstorm scored first in the top of the fourth inning against Thompson. However, Shawnee State answered in the bottom half of the inning with a three run inning. Hannah Foster (Portsmouth, OH) walked with the bases loaded to tie the game at 1-1.
Freshman Katy Bender (Pickerington, OH), who went 2-for-3 with two RBI's, singled giving the Bears the lead.
Shawnee State scored again in the bottom of the sixth as Bender reached on an error from the shortstop scoring Jourdan Priddy (Xenia, OH) to give the Bears a 4-1 lead.
Thompson (7-1) who gave up two runs on four hits with 11 strikeouts, put Rio Grande away in the seventh after the Redstorm threaten to tie the game.
The Redstorm were again able to jump on the Bears early, this time scoring the game's first run in the top of the first against Prater. Prater (7-1), who gave up one earned run on four hits, did not allow Rio Grande to score again as she put zeros across the board for the rest of the game.
Shawnee State finally gave what Prater needed. A two run inning in the bottom of the fifth would be all Prater would need. Brittany Ellis (Lucasville, OH) started the inning with a single. Foster reached on a fielder's choice and eventually reached second base after Bender singled.
Kelsey Jenkins (Wheelersburg, OH) hit a sharp grounder to first as it got past the first basemen scoring Foster and Bender giving the Bears the lead for good.
Both Thompson and Prater were able to pick up their seventh wins of the season helping Shawnee State to being the only remaining unbeaten team in the conference.
The Bears will be in action again at Doc Singleton Park on March 24 against the University of Cumberlands.
