The aphorism bandied about that relates to "If ifs ands and buts were candy and nuts, every day would be Christmas" can often ring true in the world of sports.

John Carroll know its all to well.

Five of the last six Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheaders the Blue Streaks have played have been decided by three runs or fewer. All six have resulted in losses. 

If there was one big hit.

But for one defensive mistake.

JCU went toe-to-toe with Muskingum, a 20-win team that is receiving votes in the NFCA Top 25, but could not come away with a much-needed victory in either game one (a 5-3 loss) or game two (a 4-3 setback).

the losses leave John Carroll with a 10-14 overall record, and a league slate of 1-7.

Game One
Jess Cook is not known as a strikeout pitcher, but today she went all seven innings and struck out a career-high nine, holding a very powerful offense to five runs on ten hits.

She kept her team in the game while the offense could find its way.

After Muskingum scored twice in the fifth, the Blue Streaks answered in the bottom fo the fifth. Lindsay McKnight singled down the left field line to score Olivia Schweiger. McKnight later baited a throw on delayed steal, allowing Miranda Noday to score from third and tie the game at 3-3.

The deadlock would not last long, as an unearned run in the sixth and a home run by Muskingum in the seventh would be the difference down the stretch. Both teams stranded nine runners, with JCU leaving two on in both the sixth and seventh innings.

Game Two:
Jenn Patterson struggled early, giving up three runs in the opening frame. She would then settle down and give her team opportunities.

Emma Gurley got JCU on the board in the second, scoring after a lead-off double. 

The third looked to be a big inning, but ended in a fizzle. The first three runners all reached, resulting in Schweiger scoring to make the score 3-2. The Blue Streaks later loaded the bases with no outs in the third, but a strikeout and then a line-out double play left the Blue Streaks empty handed.

John Carroll stayed the course, and would tie the game at 3-3 on a solo home run by Kristen Jesberger in the bottom of the sixth.

But an unearned run in the seventh would haunt the Blue & Gold, who would not be able to get the equalizer in the bottom half of the inning.

Patterson pitched all seven innings, and gave up just six hits and four runs (three earned).