Box Score: Game 1 vs. Ohio Northern / Game 2 vs. Ohio Northern
Staci Ziobert hit a game-winning solo home run in the fourth inning, and then clutch pitching and defense stranded seven base runners in the final four frames as John Carroll salvaged a split of its Ohio Athletic Conference opener at Ohio Northern Sunday afternoon in Ada, Ohio.
Ohio Northern won game one by a 6-5 count, while John Carroll held on for a 4-3 win in the nightcap.
In the opener, JCU fell behind by four runs in the early going before finally getting to Polar Bears starter Courtney Cash, who had limited the Blue Streaks to zero runs and two hits over the first five innings.
Jamie Smrdel led off the top of the sixth inning with a double, which was followed by a Sam Thompson single. Bethany Bachman would then crack a three-run home run to cut the Ohio Northern lead to 4-3.
The Polar Bears would counter with two more runs, but John Carroll would get one last charge. Larysa Gilbert and Bachman each recorded an RBI to pull the Blue Streaks to within 6-5. With runners on second and third and two out, Ohio Northern was able to record the last out on a fly to center field to secure the victory in the first game.
The Blue Streaks actually outhit the Polar Bears, 7-6. Bachman was 2-4 with one run and four RBI to lead JCU.
John Carroll picked up where it left off in the second game. The Blue Streaks would score three runs in the opening inning, as both Thompson and Bachman both collected RBI singles. With two errors in the inning by Ohio Northern, Ziobert took nadvantage of the extra outs and drove in the third run on a ground out.
Ohio Northern scored one run in the bottom of the first, then seemed poised for a big inning in the third. With one run already in, no one out and two runners still on base, reliever Ashley Lippert managed to help the Blue Streaks escape the trouble with just one more run crossing the plate. The score was tied 3-3 after three innings.
Ziobert would untie the score with a solo shot to lead off the fourth inning. That would be the final run scored in the game, although not for lack of effort on Ohio Northern's part.
The Polar Bears would put seven runners on base between the fourth and seventh innings, including three that would reach third base, but none would score. The biggest play of the game occured in the bottom of the seventh. With Liz Decima on third and one out, relief pitcher Sam Thompson induced a grounder right back to the mound, and she was able to throw out Decima at home plate to end the final Ohio Northern threat.
With the split, which featured head coach Erin Kingsbury's first conference win as the Blue Streaks' head coach, John Carroll is now 3-11 overall and 1-1 in the OAC. Ohio Northern is 10-6 overall and 1-1 in league play.
