In its last tournament tune-up before traditional weekday games and weekend series, Ohio won twice and lost twice in the James Madison University Invitational over the weekend.
Friday
Plagued by early inning errors and an inability to score, Ohio lost its first game of the weekend to East Carolina 9-2. Bobcat errors in both the infield and outfield allowed the Pirates to score seven runs in the game’s first four innings and hold a 7-2 lead into the bottom of the fourth.
Ohio’s only runs came in the first and third innings off a single from freshman Katie Yun, which allowed junior Alex Day to score. Yun again batted in a run on a sacrifice fly that scored senior Mikayla Cooper.
Things got worse in game two, as Ohio lost to host James Madison 8-0 in six innings. Sophomore pitcher Desirae Villaneuva allowed four walks and two runs in the first inning. Two strikeouts and a groundout closed Villaneuva’s second inning performance, but she allowed six more runs in what would be the game’s last three innings.
The Bobcats totaled six hits, with their best scoring chance coming when redshirt junior Michaela Dorsey advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Saturday
Ohio and East Carolina were set to face off in a rematch of Friday’s game, but the game was canceled because of bad weather.
Instead, the Bobcats played the Dukes and won 9-7 in extra innings.
Down 7-2 in the top of the sixth inning, Dorsey got the bats swinging when she homered to centerfield. Villaneuva hit a two-run RBI single that allowed junior Mackenzie Brunswick and sophomore Alexa Holland to score.
Day hit a two-run RBI that tied the game at seven and forced extra innings as neither team scored in the remaining inning and a half of regulation.
Yun again played heroics as she hit an RBI double that gave Ohio an 8-7 lead at the top of the ninth. Junior Natalie Alvarez sealed it for the Bobcats when she hit an RBI single to put the Bobcats up 9-7.
Sunday
A late offensive surge lifted Ohio to a win over Stony Brook in Sunday’s 10-3 win.
Down 3-0 in the top of the fourth, Cooper hit a two-run RBI single that brought the Bobcats within one run.
The next inning is what separated the Bobcats from the Seawolves. Alvarez hit a home run deep into right-center and tied the game at three. After a walk, a single and a strikeout, freshman Allie Englant tripled to left-center and, in doing so, sent Brunswick and Dorsey home. The Bobcats closed the inning with another RBI and with a 7-3 lead.
Ohio’s last offensive inning of the weekend saw it score three runs via a two-run Yun home run and a Brunswick RBI.
On deck
Ohio is set to open home play Wednesday when it hosts Dayton. First pitch is at 4 p.m. Mid-American Conference play also begins this week, as Ohio will host Central Michigan in a three-game series Friday and Saturday.
