RIO GRANDE, Ohio – Softball split its doubleheader with Rio Grande Thursday afternoon by salvaging the second game in convincing 8-0 fashion. The opening game, which was already pushed back because of the weather, was delayed another hour and 48 minutes when the team arrived at the field. The first hour was a result of some miscommunication between the umpires and the start time. The 48 minutes were lost after those umpires were also late to what they thought was a 3 p.m. start. The Bears would drop that opening game 5-0.
Defensive lapses proved costly to both sides on the day as the Bears (4-8, 3-3 MSC) committed four in their loss during game one while the RedStorm (12-7, 3-5 MSC) made seven errors in the second game. However, no error was more unfortunate than the final error of the second game. That error would be the Bears only defensive lapse during the second game victory. However, that would ultimately cost Allie Chapman a perfect game.
Going back to the first game, Rio Grande worked four walks in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead. Ironically, the leadoff walk that eventually came around to score was drawn by none other than the RedStorm's Kaylee Walk.
Neither side was able to score again until the fourth inning when four Bears' errors were all committed in the frame. Couple that with the three hits by Rio Grande and the RedStorm held a 5-0 lead after four innings. For the Bears' offense, they were only able to generate six hits in the opening game as reigning MSC Pitcher of the Week Kimberly Hazlett threw a shutout. Bears starter Ali Thompson threw a complete game in the circle. She went six innings and also only allowed six hits but was ultimately tagged with two earned runs in the loss while striking out seven and walking five.
After being shut down in the opening game, the Bears opened game two by scoring a run in each of the first three innings. The first run came across when Ericka Leighty singled to start the game and was moved over to third on an error fielding a bunt before scoring on a Kirsti Yates sacrifice fly.
In the second inning, Kelsey Jenkins would reach on an infield error. She would move into scoring position on another error and was eventually driven in by a Tara Prater RBI single. The third inning was the first earned run of the game for the Bears as Yates started it off with a single and was bunted into scoring position by Holly Brabson. Abbey Barrett would then make it 3-0 SSU with an RBI single.
While the Bears were adding on runs to the scoreboard, Chapman untouchable in the circle. She took a perfect game into the sixth and final inning. However, that does not even come close to describing how in control she was throughout the game. After a strikeout to start the game, she would get the next two hitters to fly out to short right and short left. The Red Storm would not hit another ball to outfield until the sixth inning following those two first inning outs. This came thanks in large part to eight strikeouts from Chapman on the day, all of which were during those first five innings.
The Bears would put the run-rule in effect with five runs on six hits and three more RedStorm errors in the top of the sixth. None of the six hits went for extra bases but the Bears would bat around in the inning, sending 11 batters to the plate, and took an 8-0 lead heading into the bottom half of the frame.
With the run rule in effect. Chapman needed just three outs to secure her spot in the record books. She quickly got the first batter on a groundout to third to put one away. The next batter would also ground to the same spot on the field. After going a perfect 7-for-7 fielding balls that were hit in play during the second game, a defensive miscue at third broke the perfect game bid.
The next batter would then ground out to second. As cruel irony would have it, the batter that should not have even gotten to the plate had the error not occurred would single into shallow right with two outs to break up the no-hitter. However, Chapman would keep it at just the one hit as she got the next batter to pop up to short.
The shutout was the second consecutive for Chapman who has now allowed just three hits in her last two games, spanning 13 innings. Those two shutouts have accounted for both of her victories. Offensively, five of the Bears' nine hitters had multi-hit outings in game two as SSU recorded 14 hits. Prater was the only player with three hits while Katy Bender, Hannah Dittoe, Leighty and Barrett each had two.
The Bears are in the middle of a busy stretch as today's game was the first of three doubleheaders in three days. Overall, they will play five doubleheaders in the span of six days. The next doubleheader will also be a Mid-South battle as the Bears travel to Pikeville on Friday for two games which will begin at 1 p.m.
