Just before the Ohio softball team’s California road trip, pitcher and designated hitter Emily Wethington broke the school’s all-time record for strikeouts. On the last day of the trip, in the first game of a double-header, the senior broke the all-time record for career home runs.
The 10-day West Coast swing was certainly memorable, albeit not the most successful venture. The Bobcats (11-13) went 3-7 on the trip, winning their first two games before losing six straight. They wrapped it up with a split on a Saturday double-header, beating Canisius 6-0 before falling 2-1 to Cal State Fullerton.
“There were definitely a couple of our games throughout the series… that we should have come up on the top end of,” coach Jodi Hermanek said. “That’s coupled with some strong wins that we were very proud of.”
The Bobcats relied heavily on Wethington Saturday. She started on the mound against Canisius and pitched three scoreless innings and belted a three-run home run in the bottom of the third, the 23rd of her career. Alexandria Basquez, Jordan Paden and Raven King also knocked in a run each and Melissa Bonner came in and pitched four scoreless to wrap up the game for the Bobcats.
Wethington went right back out on the mound for the second leg of the double-header against Fullerton. The Bobcats took the lead in the fifth when left-fielder Paige Kemezis knocked in Jillian Van Wagnen with a double to right center field.
But Fullerton found a way to solve Wethington — who finished the game with four strikeouts — in the bottom of the sixth. Third baseman Nicole Johnson plated a pair when she launched a triple into the right center gap.
Fullerton starter Ari Cervantes outdid Wethington’s performance and shut down the Bobcats in the top of the seventh to earn the win.
Regardless of the loss, Hermanek said Wethington had an outstanding day and was cool under pressure, adding she hopes this performance can continue.
“She’s broken two records for us now: one in the circle with strikeouts and one at the plate with home runs,” Hermanek said. “We’re just in the middle of our season; we just need to keep her healthy, keep her strong, and allow her to keep going.”
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