Portsmouth, Ohio- Shawnee State softball split the day two Mid-South Conference double header against Lindsey Wilson on Saturday. Shawnee State would fall 4-0 in game one, and win 6-5 in game two.
Game one would be a pitcher's duel, with neither team scoring a run until the top of the final inning. Tatum Wise (FR/ Canal Winchester, Ohio) would give up a single to Lyric Houston to lead off the top of the seventh. Houston would advance to second on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Amy Rogers and then advance to third on a throwing error by Michal Cunningham (SO/ Wheelersburg, Ohio). Cassie Kooker would reach base on a throwing error by Michal Cunningham, advancing Rogers to second. Callum Pilgrim would double on the next at bat to deep left field, clearing the bases making the score 3-0 Lindsey Wilson. Pilgrim would score on an infield single by Alaeni Ray, pushing the score to 4-0 in favor of the Blue Raiders.
Annabelle Ramirez would pick up the win for the Blue Raiders in game one, allowing no runs on one hit in seven innings. Tatum Wise recorded the loss allowing four runs on seven hits in seven innings.
In game two, Michal Cunningham blasted a homerun over the left-center field fence on the second pitch she saw, making the score 1-0 Bears. The Bears were not done yet as Ashtyn Saunders (SO/ Lancaster, Ohio) singled into shallow right field. Marisa Brown (JR/ Liberty Township, Ohio) would ground out advancing Saunders to second. Kayla Koch (SR/ Lucasville, Ohio) would hit a line drive double that found the right field fence scoring Saunders making the lead 2-0 for the Bears.
For Shawnee State, Haley Rawlins (SO/ South Point, Ohio) would get things started in the bottom of the second with a single up the middle. Mackenzie Riley (JR/ Proctorville, Ohio) would be hit by a pitch to get two on with nobody out. Haley Rawlins would come around to score on the next at bat by the way of a single from Mo Wolansky (FR/ Cleveland, Ohio). The Bears would add one more run in the inning by a single from Michal Cunningham that drove in Riley, making the score 4-0 Bears after two.
Lindsey Wilson would answer with two runs of their own in the top of the third inning. Callum Pilgrim started it off for the Blue Raiders, reaching on an infield single. Alaeni Ray would then single advancing Pilgrim to third. The next at bat would see Kalli Harris double to deep left, making the score 4-2 still in favor of the Bears. The Bears would add another run in the bottom of the third as Haley Rawlins would hit a double to deep left-center field. Rawlins would then advance to third on a wild pitch from Breanna Clark. Mackenzie Riley would hit a sacrifice fly to left field sending Rawlins home and making the score 5-2 bears.
The Blue Raiders would add one more run in the top of the sixth. Katlyn Gleich (JR/ Grove City, Ohio) would lose the ball in the sun allowing Lyric Houston to reach second base. Amber Hancock would drive in Houston cutting the gap to 5-3 in favor of Shawnee. Lindsey Wilson would tie the game up in the top of the seventh. The first three batters reached base creating a jam for McKenzie Whittaker (JR/ McDermott, Ohio). Casie Kooker would score on a ground out to second cutting the lead to 5-4 Bears. Pilgrim would also come around to score on a ground out to second tying the score at 5-5 going into the bottom of the seventh.
The Bears would respond right back with a double from Kayla Koch who on the next pitch would advance to third on a wild throw from Annabelle Ramirez. Ramirez would retire the next two batters bringing Haley Rawlins up to bat. Rawlins hit a hard single into left field that would score Koch and give Shawnee State the 6-5 walk off win. Rawlins was 4-4 at the plate, scoring two runs herself and hitting the game winning RBI.
McKenzie Whittaker claimed the victory in game two allowing five runs on eight hits in seven innings. Annabelle Ramirez would take the loss on the day allowing one run on two hits in two-thirds of an inning.
With the split the Bears will move to 21-15 on the season, and 7-9 in the conference play. Lindsey Wilson moves 31-10, and 11-5 in the Mid-South Conference.
The Bears return to action April 18, where they will visit Kentucky Christian University in Grayson Kentucky for a Mid-South conference double header. First pitch is set for 3:00 P.M.
