Portsmouth, OH - Shawnee State softball split in a conference double header against (9) Lindsey Wilson on Friday, winning the first game 6-5, and dropping the second 6-0.
The first inning of game one was quiet for both the Bears and the Blue Raiders, with Shawnee State tagging just one hit via a Marisa Brown (JR/Liberty Township, OH) single. Neither team put up a run in the first inning.
The bats picked up in the second for the Bears though as they would lead off the inning with a solo homerun from Stacy Trenholm (FR/Lancaster, OH). Tatam Wise and Haley Rawlins (SO/Southpoint, OH) both singled before being advanced by a sacrifice bunt from Victoria Bevington (SO/London, OH). Mo Wolansky (FR/Cleveland, OH) reached on an error which also sent Wise to home plate for Shawnee. Haley Rawlins would score on a passed ball before Michal Cunningham (SO/Wheelersburg, OH) clubbed an RBI double to center field, scoring Wolansky. After 2 innings the Bears led 4-0.
Lindsey Wilson would fight back in the top of the third inning scoring two runs on a pair of hits. After Cassie Kooker reached on an error to lead off the inning, Callum Pilgrim would send a shot to right that brought Kooker around to score.Tatam Wise (FR/Canal Winchester, OH) struck out the next batter before facing Sydney Foreman, who doubled to right field and drove Pilgrim home, making the score 4-2. The Bears stayed stagnant offensively in the bottom half of the inning going three up, three down, on a strikeout and a pair of groundouts.
There would be no scoring for either squad until the top of the sixth when the Blue Raiders picked up a run that brought them within one. After two Shawnee State errors, Lindsey Wilson had their two leadoff runners on. A Cassie Kooker single to shallow left field would score Matlock, making the score 4-3. Shawnee State had just one hit and no runs in the bottom of the inning, coming by way of a Trenholm blooper single to right.
Things got interesting in the final inning though as the Blue Raiders would take the lead, scoring two runs. Kalli Harris singled and Sydney Foreman walked before Cassie Matlock would crush a triple at the fence in left center, Harris and Foreman scored. Shawnee State would go into their final at bat down 5-4. Bailey Kemp led off the inning reaching first after being hit by a pitch. Cunningham walked on the next at bat, and a Katlyn Gleich sacrifice bunt would put runners on second and third. After a strikeout, with two outs in the inning, Kayla Koch stepped up big with a walkoff RBI double to deep right field to win it for the Bears.
Tatum Wise comes away with the win allowing five runs on seven hits and five strikeouts through seven innings.
Game two was all about Lindsey Wilson's offense. The Blue Raiders got started in the first inning with a single from Alaeni Ray, followed by a double from Kalli Harris. Ray would score after tagging up on a sacrifice fly hit by Sydney Foreman. Shawnee State would reach on a lead-off walk in the bottom of the inning before grounding out three times to go into the second hitless, down 1-0.
The second inning saw no runs on no hits for either team. In the top of the third, Lindsey Wilson would jump ahead scoring two runs on four hits. Ray, Harris, and Fourman all singled in order, loading the bases for the Blue Raiders. An Amber Hancock single to straightaway center would drive the first two runners home. Lindsey Wilson would go into the bottom of the second ahead 3-0. The Blue Raiders would again score a pair of runs in the fourth inning coming on a pair of RBI doubles from both Alaeni Ray and Kalli Harris, putting the Blue Raiders up 5-0.
The Bears would gain two hits in the bottom of the fourth, but were unable to score. Neither team would score through the bottom of the sixth inning with SSU's only hit coming by way of a Kayla Koch (SR/Lucasville, OH) single.
The top of the seventh saw the Blue Raiders tack on one more run on three hits. Amber Hancock singled to left, and reached second on an error by the Bears. She scored on a Cassie Matlock single in the next at bat. The Blue Raiders took the field in the bottom of the inning with a demanding 6-0 lead. The Bears could not answer, batting into three straight outs, dropping game two 6-0.
Lindsey Wilson's Taylor Slade pitched through four innings allowing no runs and five hits. She would be relieved by Annabelle Ramirez who allowed no runs, one hit, and struck out two.
Shawnee State's Mckenzie Whittaker (JR/McDermott, OH) picks up the loss, allowing six runs on 11 hits, with two strikeouts.
With the split, the Bears move to 20-14 overall, 7-9 in the conference. Lindsey Wilson moves to 30-9, 10-4 in Mid South play.
The Bears return to action at home against Lindsey Wilson again tomorrow, Saturday, April 13th, for a double header. First pitch of game one set for 9:00AM.
