The 2024 Shawnee State softball program has put together a special season thus far, to say the least.

On Friday, that magic was showcased once again -- as the Bears again found different ways to collect yet another doubleheader sweep.

In Game 1, Shawnee State sent 10 batters to the plate in a six-run first inning where the Bears built a 6-0 lead after the opening inning and maintained that lead behind a strong relief pitching performance from Genavie Espinoza.

As fun as that contest proved to be for the home side, Game 2 proved to be even more fruitful, as Shawnee State battled back from a 3-1 deficit in Game 2 by scoring six unanswered runs, the final four of those six coming in that sixth inning where the Bears have simply managed to find another gear time and again -- leading to a 7-1, 7-4 doubleheader sweep of Oakland City (Ind.) in a pair of River States Conference doubleheader contests held at Doc Singleton Park in West Portsmouth.

Shawnee State, who improved to 21-3 overall and 13-3 in the River States Conference with its sixth doubleheader sweep in its eight conference doubleheaders to date, notched 14 runs on 19 base hits between the two contests -- and got two clutch relief performances from Espinoza as well as Amariah Hoerner, who allowed just one run between them combined in both contests in their relief efforts, to help Shawnee State break the 20-win barrier.

Game 1

The Bears left nothing to chance from the opening pitch in Game 1 -- as an infield single by Jenna Christopher and an error was followed by back-to-back-to-back RBI singles from Lauren Spears, Sierra Dunnagan and Mackenzie Hale that pushed Shawnee State's lead to a 3-0 margin.

Two batters later, Allison Tom then roped a ball into center field that not only scored Dunnagan and Hale, but came all the way around to score on the same play following an outfield fielding error on the hit that allowed Shawnee State to quickly establish the point.

Oakland City got a run back in the second inning, but from the time that she came in to pitch in the third frame of work, Genavie Espinoza was strong -- as the junior threw five effective innings of two-hit softball to seal the win. The Bears added an insurance run in the fifth when Brittani Wolfenbarker's roped double down the left field line scored Tom after the latter singled to start the fifth inning, setting the final score.

Game 2

Following a walk by Lauren Spears and an error, Mackenzie Hale's RBI single to left field scored Spears to give Shawnee State a 1-0 advantage after an inning of play -- but Oakland City struck back.

In the second inning, Danielle Haire's walk and Gabbie Countryman's single opened the door for Baylee Rhodes, who came through with an RBI-producing single to tie the score at one run apiece. Then in the third frame, Madison Shipley's one-out single to left field was followed by a two-RBI double from Haire that gave Oakland City a 3-1 advantage.

However, Shawnee State, once again, flipped the script.

Behind a great relief effort from Amariah Hoerner, who threw four innings of one-hit softball while striking out five, the Bears completely made up the deficit in a matter of two innings, as Brittani Wolfenbarker's leadoff triple to right field allowed Jenna Christopher to bring in Wolfenbarker with an RBI groundout to cut the Oakland City lead to a 3-2 gap after four innings complete. Then, with two out in the fifth inning, Shawnee State got a rally going as Hoerner's double and walks by Gracey McCullough and Brittani Wolfenbarker led to an infield RBI single by Christopher that tied the score.

Despite Oakland City limiting the damage by forcing a groundout that kept the game knotted at a 3-3 score after five complete, the Mighty Oaks couldn't hold back Shawnee State as the Bears came out strong in the sixth frame, with Sierra Dunnagan's leadoff double and a groundout leading to a beautifully placed sacrifice bunt by Lexie Lockwood that allowed Dunnagan to score after the freshman slid underneath the tag at home plate.

Lockwood, who reached base and advanced to second on the same play, then scored on Allison Tom's RBI base knock to right field, while back-to-back singles by Hoerner and McCullough brought in a third run as Tom came in to score. A walk by Wolfenbarker then allowed Christopher to plate Hoerner for the fourth and final run in the game-deciding sixth frame, giving the Bears the cushion it needed to hold off Oakland City for what ended up being a three-run triumph.

Additional

Mackenzie Hale (4-for-7, walk, two RBI, run scored) and Allison Tom (3-for-8, four RBI, run scored) led Shawnee State's offense in both contests while the Game 2 performances of Gracey McCullough (2-for-3, walk, RBI) and Amariah Hoerner (2-for-2, double, two runs scored) were huge in Shawnee State's sweep of Oakland City. Five additional players, including Jenna Christopher, Sierra Dunnagan, Genavie Espinoza, Lauren Spears and Brittani Wolfenbarker, reached the hit column at least once in the win.

Shawnee State will have a week off before getting back to the softball diamond with a River States Conference doubleheader against Midway in Midway, Ky. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

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