After a pair of tough weekends in a row, Ohio softball was in dire need of a successful trip to Richmond, Kentucky, to compete in the EKU Colonel Classic. Ohio was able to do just that, taking three out of four games in impressive fashion.
Here is a recap of the 3-1 weekend for the Bobcats:
Thursday
Game 1 vs. Dayton
In the first of two straight games against Dayton, Ohio won 16-0 in just five innings. Ohio was held scoreless in the 1st inning, but exploded for six runs in the 2nd.
The scoring got underway when a pair of errors by Dayton shortstop Kaelene Walter, whose back-to-back grounders gave Ohio an early advantage. The offensive output did not stop there as Yasmine Logan ripped an RBI single to push the lead to 3-0. Alexis Dawe added to the scoring with a two-run triple down the first base line to make it a six-run 2nd inning for Ohio.
By the time the fourth rolled around, the game was still within reach, something Ohio made sure was no longer the case as it more than doubled its lead with a seven-run frame. Austy Miller got a bases-clearing double to make the score 10-0, giving her four RBIs for the game. Miller was not the only Ohio player to get an extra-base hit. Kaci Branch came off the bench and made the most of her one plate appearance with a home run, her first career extra-base hit as well as her first home run in an Ohio uniform.
Ohio added on with another trio of runs in the 5th inning to push the game to 16-0. In the circle, Ohio used a combination of Skipp Miller and Keegan Moore to get the shutout.
Saturday
Game 2 vs. Dayton
In the second matchup against Dayton, Ohio was in a much closer game, although the result was identical. The 6-5 victory for Ohio was a nail-biter that required far more clutch hitting, something that Ohio had not needed to do up to that point.
The game started off with Dayton responding to the embarrassing defeat at the hands of Ohio from a few nights prior. A two-run home run by Quinn Pallardy made it 2-0 in favor of Dayton. In the bottom of the 3rd inning, though, Ohio evened the score with an Annalia Paoli RBI single and an RBI groundout from Dawe.
The Flyers, however, would not be denied, scoring runs in the 5th and 6th innings. The Bobcats, in need of a response to keep their hopes of an undefeated weekend alive, needed a clutch response. Luckily for them, freshman Shelby Westler delivered the bases-clearing double to put the Bobcats in the lead for good. The Bobcats tacked on another run to make it 6-4, but the Flyers responded to make it 6-5. Nonetheless, Coffelt closed the door, giving her the victory.
Game 3 vs. Eastern Kentucky
Unfortunately, the confidence that Ohio had built by defeating Dayton twice was no match for Eastern Kentucky’s home-cooking that propelled it to a 5-3 win.
Skipp Miller started in the circle for Ohio, but she did not fare well, giving up four earned runs in her three innings of work. Coffelt came in and calmed the game down, only allowing one more Eastern Kentucky run.
Ohio’s offense was not as effective as it was in past games, getting only six hits and three runs overall. The first run was scored on a Westler RBI single. The next run was not scored until the 6th inning as Branch reached on a fielder’s choice. Another run crossed for Ohio in the 7th inning as it tried to make an improbable comeback, but it was not to be as Ohio left the bases loaded.
Sunday
Game 4 vs. Indiana State
For as good as the offense looked in its wins, Ohio’s pitching was on full display in its 6-1 triumph over Indiana State to wrap up the weekend. Coffelt was masterful, twirling a one-run complete game, only throwing 94 pitches in the process. Coffelt was the star of the show on Sunday morning, allowing a mere four hits, one walk and one hit by pitch. The graduate student from Beloit, Ohio, saved Ohio from having to exhaust more arms, like Skipp Miller, further.
The Bobcats did not solely rely on their pitcher’s gem to handily defeat the Sycamores. A five-run third inning was punctuated by a three-run home run from CiCi Keidel, the first of her season and second of her career. From there, the Bobcats rode out the big inning to an easy victory to cap off the weekend.
