Circleville, Ohio – Shawnee State softball got back on the winning track on Wednesday afternoon, snapping a six game losing streak by sweeping Ohio Christian 7-0 in game one and 10-1 in five innings in game two.
Game one would get off to a quiet start as neither team scored in the first three innings. However, the Bears would explode for five runs in the fourth. With runners on second and third, Ashtyn Saunders (FR/Lancaster, Ohio) would single to bring home both runs to put Shawnee State up 2-0. Saunders would score one batter later on Katlyn Gleich (SO/Grove City, Ohio)'s single. Tara Duncan (SR/Lancaster, Ohio) would single home Gleich after Marisa Brown (SO/Liberty Township, Ohio) singled and Kayla Koch (JR/Lucasville, Ohio) walked to load the bases, and Brown would score when Mackenzie Riley (SO/Proctorville, Ohio) would reach on a throwing error.
Shawnee State would add single runs in the sixth and the seventh. Riley would drive in her second RBI of the day in the sixth, singling home pinch runner Victoria Bevington (FR/London, Ohio). Brown would then reenter in the seventh for Bevington, and would single to drive in Saunders to end the scoring.
Seven runs were more than enough for Alyssa Halpin, who would allow no runs on three hits and strike out five in six innings for the win. Lexi Williams would get hit for the loss by allowing four runs on seven hits in 3.1 innings.
Game two would be all Shawnee State from the start as the Bears would run rule Ohio Christian in five innings. The first inning would get off to a bang as SSU would hit back-to-back homers, as Victoria Bevington and Marisa Brown both went yard to make the score 3-0 Bears.
After two quick outs in the top of the second, Ashtyn Saunders would walk to reach base. Victoria Bevington would reach second on a dropped fly ball, with Saunders moving to third, and both base runners would score on Marisa Brown's RBI single to make it 5-0.
After Ohio Christian got a run back in the bottom of the second, Shawnee State would put the game to bed by getting five runs in the fifth. SSU would score two runs on a bases-loaded single by Saunders, and after loading the bases again Brown would hit a three-run double to make it 10-1 SSU. Shawnee State would hold OCU scoreless for three more innings to earn the victory.
McKenzie Whittaker (SO/McDermott, Ohio) would allow one run on two hits in four innings to get the win for Shawnee State. D'Lani Swackhammer would allow three runs on three hits without recording an out to take the loss.
With the wins, Shawnee State improves to 14-15 on the season. Ohio Christian falls to 2-19.
Shawnee State are back in action on Thursday, April 6th when they make the short drive to Grayson, Kentucky to take on Kentucky Christian. First pitch in game one is set for 3:00pm.
