Ohio beat Southeastern Louisiana to open the Tennessee Invitational on Thursday, but then came up just short in a second game thriller against Tennessee.
The Bobcats (9-2) gave the No. 15 Volunteers (15-2) all it could handle in the second game of the day for both teams, but fell by a final score of 2-1. Ohio had the tying run on second with two outs in the seventh inning, but Jamie Wren struck out to end the game.
Savannah Jo Dorsey started for the Bobcats and threw a complete game while only allowing two runs on four hits with five strikeouts. Dorsey, who had only walked seven batters over 30 innings heading into Thursday's games, uncharacteristically walked four batters.
Ohio’s lone run came off the bat of the team's leading hitter, Morgan Geno, who singled home Alex Day in the third inning, to cut the lead in half, but that is all the closer Ohio would get. Tennessee would later bring in Matty Moss, who picked up the win in Tennessee’s first game, to pitch the final three and a third innings to close out Ohio.
Dorsey’s start for Ohio was her second outing of the day after she closed out the 5-2 win over Southeastern Louisiana by throwing two and 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out six and only walking one.
Danielle Stiene picked up the win for the Bobcats in the first game of the day by pitching the first four and a third innings with surrendering two runs on four hits while striking out four.
The offense was sparked by Mikayla Cooper, who hit a three run home run in the third inning to give Ohio the lead. Day and Taylor Saxton also picked up RBIs in the game.
Both of Ohio’s losses this season have come against SEC opponents as the team lost 10-0 to South Carolina on Feb. 10.
Ohio will continue the Tennessee Invitational against Bradley on Friday before concluding the tournament Saturday with a double header against Delaware and Jacksonville State.
