Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Forgive the John Carroll University softball team had left town Saturday evening with a sweep in hand rather than a split.

It was tantalizingly close.

The Blue Streaks split a doubleheader with the host Wittenberg University Tigers on St. Patrick's Day in Springfield, Ohio.  The Blue Streaks took game one by a final count of 9-4, and then fell 6-3 to the Tigers in game two.

Box Scores: Game One  /  Game Two

Senior and reigning OAC Pitcher of the Year Brittany Danilov improved to 6-1 on the season following a complete game in game one.  Danilov fanned eight Tigers hitters and received tremendous run support from her Blue Streak teammates. 

Fueling the Blue Streaks' offensive attack was junior catcher Mackenzie Griffin who hit a two out grand-slam in the top of the second inning giving John Carroll a 4-0 lead.  Griffin's homerun was her first in 2012 and the third of her career.   

Wittenberg would come right back however with four runs in the bottom of the third frame fueled by a two out triple from sophomore centerfielder Laura Rose that scored three Tigers.  Senior first baseman Tori Amicon would then drive in Rose in the ensuing at-bat tying the game up at four. 

From that point on the Blue Streaks would tame the Tigers. 

John Carroll would go on an offensive attack scoring two runs in the fifth, and three in the sixth giving the Blue & Gold an eventual game ending score of 9-4. 

With the 9-4 victory, the Blue Streaks improved to 10-1 on the season while the Tigers fell to 8-5 on the season. 

The Blue Streaks would then have their four-game winning streak snapped in a 6-3 loss in game two.  Two two-run homeruns by Wittenberg sophomore third baseman Kaitie Harrison fueled the Tigers' attack. 

Danilov fell to 6-2 on the season after giving up three runs in the sixth inning that allowed the Tigers to take a 6-3 advantage. 

The Blue & Gold however struck first blood in the game following an RBI double by senior first baseman Olivia Matthews.  Matthews' double scored Griffin and senior third baseman Erin Riccardi, giving John Carroll a 2-0 lead.

Wittenberg would quickly respond with a two out rally in the bottom of the second frame that culminated with a Kaitie Harrison two-run homerun putting the Tigers up 3-2. 

John Carroll would then tie the game at three a piece in the fourth inning after Samantha Becker's triple to right field that scored Michelle Murphy who reached base courtesy of a two-out single. 

With the game tied up at three heading into the bottom of the sixth, Danilov took over for sophomore starting pitcher Trisha Pike who pitched five innings giving up three earned runs and striking out one.  The Tigers would not step down to the Blue Streaks' ace putting up three runs climaxed once again by Harrison's second two-run home run of the ballgame that put the Tigers up by what wound up being the final score, 6-3.  

Wittenberg freshman starting pitcher Julia Williams improved to 3-1 on the season pitching a complete game, giving up only two earned runs while striking out three Blue Streak hitters.   

The Tigers improved to 9-5 on the season. 

The Blue Streaks fell to 10-2 on the season and will look to rebound from a game two loss when they take on Thomas More College in a doubleheader Sunday afternoon in Crestview Hills, KY.