Ohio (12-6) finished its weekend on a high note by winning three games in a row while competing in the Purple/Gold Challenge in Nashville. Their first matchup was against Northern Iowa (9-5), which resulted in a 1-2 loss.
The game went eight innings, and the only run from the Bobcats was junior Belle Hummel scoring on a sophomore Brenna Farmer RBI. Ohio committed zero errors in the game, but couldn’t find a way to get past the Panthers’ tight defense.
The second contest in the Purple/Gold Challenge was yet another close game with Ohio losing to Lipscomb 6-5. Ohio scored 5 runs on 10 hits, one of which included a home run from senior Lauren Yuhas.
Other Bobcats who stepped up were senior Emma Hoffner, senior Maddie Wilcox, sophomore Izzie Wilson and junior Shelby Westler. Although Lipscomb committed three errors, Ohio couldn’t use these miscues to its advantage in potentially winning.
By games three and four, Ohio had learned what it needed to do against both Northern Iowa and Lipscomb. Their second challenge versus Northern Iowa resulted in Ohio finally getting the upper hand, winning 7-2.
Ohio scored 7 runs on 13 hits while not committing a single error the whole game. Northern Iowa only scored 2 runs on five hits.
Yuhas went 2-for-4 with an RBI while Hummel went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Hoffner went 2-for-3 plus a walk, 2 runs scored and one RBI.
Compared to its first game, Ohio did a better job at containing Northern Iowa. Much of that came from the stellar defense but also from those pitching.
Redshirt junior Skipp Miller allowed only 1 run on four hits, walked three and struck out three. Sophomore Mikie Lieving pitched just one inning and allowed a run, walked three and struck out two.
Overall, this was a far better game for the Bobcats, and they continued that momentum with their second matchup against Lipscomb.
While Ohio committed two errors, it still excelled in other areas to secure victory over Lipscomb.
Yuhas recorded a double, two RBI and a run scored, while Hoffner added a double, one RBI and a run scored. Wilcox added a hit and an RBI, and Hummel scored 2 runs. Both Wilson and Farmer had a hit, while Farmer added an RBI.
It wasn’t until late in the game when Lipscomb looked to make a comeback after Ohio took a commanding 5-0 lead. However, thanks to their clutch defense, the Bobcats prevented their opponent from gaining the upper hand.
The fifth and final game resulted in Ohio defeating the Illinois State Redbirds 7-2 to cap off the Purple/Gold Challenge.
Ohio didn’t have any errors and scored 7 runs on 10 hits. Illinois State also didn’t commit any errors, and they scored 2 runs on four hits.
Like before, the standouts for Ohio this game were Yuhas, Farmer and Hoffner, with the addition of senior CiCi Keidel, who went 2-for-2 with a double, three RBI and a run scored.
Ohio couldn’t find its offensive rhythm until the bottom of the fifth inning, and from then on the game was theirs. The Redbirds looked to rally and make a comeback, but it was too little too late.
