Ohio (22-9, 5-1 Mid-American Conference) was one game away from a sweep of Northern Illinois (8-20, 3-6 MAC) in a three-game series over the weekend. The Bobcats won the first two games but lost the final due to a lack of hits.
Game One
For the series opener, Ohio scored 8 runs on 11 hits and committed three errors. The team’s opponent scored 4 runs on four hits and committed two errors.
Senior infielder Lauren Yuhas went three-of-four at the plate with two doubles, scored 1 run and notched five RBIs for Ohio. Senior outfielder CiCi Keidel had two hits, one double, 1 run scored and an RBI. Freshman infielder Sydney Young had three hits, one double and scored 2 runs.
In the circle, freshman Anna Wise pitched the entire game, allowing just five hits, while walking one and striking out three of Northern Illinois's hitters.
In the top of the first inning, with two players in scoring position, senior catcher Emma Hoffner hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Keidel to score the game’s first run. Yuhas then followed with her first double of the contest, which brought in 2 runs to bring the score to 3-0 after two innings.
The third inning was scoreless, but Ohio extended its lead in the fourth beginning with an RBI single from junior infielder Colleen Bare. Yuhas added her second and third RBI, allowing her and juniors Belle Hummel and Bare to make the score 7-0.
Northern Illinois got its first run in the bottom of the fourth, but Ohio’s defense prevented it from scoring any more, leading into the fifth inning. In the top of the fifth, Ohio loaded the bases, but Northern Illinois responded with defense. The bottom of the sixth inning was when the Huskies came alive with their offense.
Northern Illinois scored 3 runs, cutting the deficit to 8-4. However, Ohio’s defense shut down any scoring opportunities in the bottom of the seventh.
Game Two
Game Two ended similarly to Game One. Ohio scored 10 runs on 13 hits while Northern Illinois scored just 1 run on four hits. Neither team had any errors.
Hummel went three of four at the plate, scored a run and had four RBIs. Sophomore infielder Brenna Farmer went two of three, scored 2 runs and recorded three RBIs. Bare had three doubles, one RBI and 2 runs. In for Wise was redshirt junior Skipp Miller, who took seven innings for Ohio.
Miller allowed little with four hits and a single score while walking one and striking out three Huskies. Ohio got on the board in the bottom of the first after a single from Farmer brought Yuhas home. Ohio doubled its lead on a groundout, making it 2-0.
In the second inning, Northern Illinois landed a home run, tallying the total to 2-1. Three Bobcats were walked in the beginning of the third, and a hit by pitch led to a 3-1 advantage. Both the fourth and fifth innings were scoreless for both teams. Ohio ended the drought in the top of the sixth as Hummel hit a two-RBI single to extend the lead to 5-1.
Farmer then recorded her second and third RBIs off a single, which brought the score to 7-1. At the top of the seventh, Ohio had more firepower to extend its lead to 10-1 and eventually finished off Northern Illinois in the seventh.
Game Three
The third time was definitely the charm for Northern Illinois as it scored 9 runs on 10 hits while Ohio only had 1 run on two hits. Both parties committed two errors.
Farmer went one of two at the plate with an RBI, junior infielder Shelby Webster had one hit and Yuhas scored Ohio’s only run. Three different Bobcats pitched for the game. Sophomore Mikie Living got the start and allowed 5 runs on two hits in a single inning. After her was Wise, who allowed 3 runs on six hits in one-and-two-thirds innings. Miller pitched the final two innings in the run-rule five-inning Northern Illinois victory and allowed 1 run on two hits plus a strikeout.
Yuhas’ run was scored after a single from Farmer brought her home, giving Ohio an early 1-0 lead. The bottom of the second saw Northern Illinois score seven runs on six hits to make it 7-1. The Huskies then scored again in the bottom of the third to make it 8-1.
The fourth inning was scoreless, and Northern Illinois scored its last run in the fifth. The team secured an impressive 9-1 victory.
