WEST PORTSMOUTH, Ohio -- Hitting. Pitching. Defense.
Timely plays in key and clutch situations.
All of the above were a part of the winning formula for the Shawnee State softball program Saturday afternoon -- with some Golden State flavor dabbled into the mix throughout.
Genavie Espinoza's complete game five-hitter and a 2-for-3 performance at the plate that also included a two-RBI double and run scored in Game 1, along with a 5-for-8 performance between both contests from Sierra Dunnagan that included the game-winning RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning of Game 2, were key performances as the Bears garnered two huge victories Saturday with 10-1 and 2-1 wins over River States Conference foe Indiana-Southeast, the former via mercy rule in five innings and the latter in eight frames in conference matchups that were held at Doc Singleton Park in West Portsmouth.
Importance of wins and overall performance
In winning both contests, Shawnee State made a huge dent in the River States Conference Standings as the Bears, as a result of defeating Indiana-Southeast in both contests on Saturday, took three out of four affairs from the Grenadiers in the regular season and moved into third place in the RSC Standings, as SSU and Indiana-Southeast are tied for third in terms of winning percentage but the Bears own the season tiebreak.
Shawnee State, who now sits 20-12 overall and 15-7 in River States Conference competition, sits just one game back of Oakland City (21-11, 17-7 RSC) for second place with a conference doubleheader against the pair looming later next week in Oakland City, Ind.
The Bears also sit just two games back of Rio Grande (28-8, 16-4 RSC) as the race for the top spot in the standings heats up further heading into the final two weeks of the regular season.
Shawnee State was especially stout in both contests from a pitching and defensive perspective. Pitching-wise, Espinoza and Game 2 starter Emma Wargel combined to give up just 11 hits in 13 innings between them while striking out 10 batters and allowing just one run apiece, while SSU, from a fielding standpoint, didn't commit a single error across its 29 fielding chances Saturday.
Game 1
While Indiana-Southeast was able to crack the scoreboard first in Game 1 via a two-out single by the Grenadiers' Kaitlyn Leister, which scored Indiana-Southeast's Lillian Mackey, it would be the only salvo that IU-Southeast would manage the rest of the way.
In the bottom of the second inning of play, a one-out single by Bianca Belo-Diaz to go along with a wild pitch allowed Belo-Diaz to advance into scoring position, where the Bears ultimately scored two runs on a fielder's choice and an error. Then, following a Jenna Christopher single that loaded the bases, Genavie Espinoza scored both Emily Cheatham and Sierra Dunnagan with a two-RBI single to center field -- giving Shawnee State a 4-1 lead following the second inning of work.
The Bears then added four more tallies in the fourth -- as leadoff singles by Dunnagan and Christopher were followed by another error that scored both players. Two batters later, freshman shortstop Emily Moore cranked her third home run of the week and her fourth blast in the last 10 days as Moore hammered a two-run shot to left field, putting Shawnee State ahead by an 8-0 count after four innings complete.
Shawnee State then easily put the game to bed in the fifth -- as back-to-back two-out singles by Dunnagan and Christopher allowed Espinoza to deliver a two-RBI double to left, setting the final margin.
In addition to Espinoza's previously mentioned performance inside the circle and at the plate, Dunnagan (3-for-4, RBI, three runs scored) and Christopher (3-for-3, walk, two runs scored) joined Espinoza in the multi-hit column while Moore (1-for-3, home run, two RBI, run scored), Belo-Diaz (1-for-3, run scored) and Cameryn Davidson (1-for-2, walk, run scored) all reached through a hit.
Game 2
In Game 2, Shawnee State trailed through five innings -- as the Bears, through five, were two-hit while Indiana-Southeast's Brynlea Bennett notched an RBI triple to score Josie Lemmons, putting the Grenadiers up 1-0 at that juncture.
However, the Shawnee State contingent never quit fighting.
Emily Cheatham proved to be a big spark plug in the sixth inning -- as the freshman singled to center and advanced to second base after an outfield error was committed, then advanced over to third base on Sierra Dunnagan's single to center. The sequence ultimately allowed Cheatham to score on Genavie Espinoza's infield knock to shortstop, as Cheatham glided her way around the tag to tie the score at one run apiece as the contest headed to the seventh frame.
While the Bears weren't able to walk things off in the seventh, Shawnee State came through in a big way in the eighth.
When leadoff batter Gracey McCullough reached on an infield error, that put the Bears in a position to strike -- and after a bunt by Cheatham -- it was Dunnagan who would get it done.
On the second pitch of the at-bat, Dunnagan lined a rope to right center field, easily scoring McCullough to give Shawnee State the doubleheader sweep -- and its third win over Indiana-Southeast in the four games played between the pair this season.
Dunnagan, who went 2-for-4 with that game-winning RBI double, led Shawnee State at the plate while Cheatham (1-for-2, sacrifice, run scored), Espinoza (1-for-2, RBI) and Christopher (1-for-3) all amassed hits in Saturday's Game 2 win.
Pitching-wise, Emma Wargel was strong throughout Game 2, striking out five batters while going the complete eight-inning distance.
Additional
Shawnee State continues River States Conference action Tuesday as the Bears take on Midway (Ky.) in two crucial RSC matchups that will be key toward conference positioning for the Bears heading down the stretch. Those affairs will be held in Midway, Ky. beginning at 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 15.
