By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Cleveland, OH---Ashlyn Michalak dominated Cuyahoga batters in the first game, while the No. 9 Express offense took over in the second game as Owens swept Cuyahoga 2-0 and 10-2 in the OCCAC opener for the Express.
Game 1: Owens 2 Cuyahoga 0
Ashlyn Michalak allowed only four hits and two walks while striking out 12 in a 2-0 win for the Express.
Melanie Iacoangeli's speed helped the Express take a 1-0 lead in the first inning. The freshman leadoff hitter singled to short, stole second and third, and scored on a single from Sydney Barron.
In the sixth, the Express added an unearned run to complete the game's scoring.
Tabitha Britt and Olivia Reeder each had two hits for the Express, while Barron was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Iacoangeli finished 1-for-4 with a run and two stolen bases.
With the win, Michalak moves to 7-0. It is also her seventh complete game of the season.
Game 2: Owens 10 Cuyahoga 2
Britt, Katie Butler, Amanda Sinay, Iacoangeli and Hallie Thompson each had two hits for the Express as the offense led the way in a 10-2 win in the second game.
In the first, Owens took a 4-0 lead as Barron hit a sacrifice fly, Butler had an RBI single to left field and Iacoangeli had a two-run single.
In the second, Cuyahoga scored twice off Express starter Kasey Graham to make it 4-2. The Express offense, however, would score twice in each of the next three innings to close out Cuyahoga.
In the third, the inning was highlighted by an RBI double from Thompson. In the fourth, Butler had an RBI triple to left field and Sinay had a sacrifice fly to center.
In the fifth, Iacoangeli singled, stole second and scored on an RBI triple from Thompson, who would later score on a passed ball to make it 10-2.
Graham (4-0) pitched the first three innings to pick up the win. She allowed six hits, two runs (one earned) and one walk. Lexi Sheets pitched the final two innings and allowed two hits while striking out two.
Britt, who was 2-for-4 with a run in the second game, finished the day 4-for-8 with a run. Other offensive leaders in the second game included: Butler (2-3, 2 R, 3B, 2 RBIs), Sinay (2-2, 2 R, RBI), Iacoangeli (2-3, R, 2 RBI, 3 SB), and Thompson (2-3, 2 R, 2 RBIs, 2B, 3B).
Notes
The No. 9 Express are now 15-1 overall and 2-0 in the OCCAC. They are now off until April 10 when they take on Grand Rapids CC beginning at 3:30 p.m.
Iacoangeli stole five bases in the doubleheader and is leading the team with 16 steals in 18 attempts. She is now leading the team in batting average among regulars with a .474 average and is tied for the team lead with 17 runs.
Michalak now has a 0.51 ERA with 90 strikeouts in 55 innings pitched. She has allowed only 33 hits, nine walks and four earned runs this year.
