By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Myrtle Beach, S.C.---Emily Rockman (Springfield/Holland, Ohio) led the offense with five hits, while Lesley Ducat (Evergreen, Lyons, Ohio) and Lexi Williams (Home School/Swanton, Ohio) each picked up a win in the circle as the Express softball team swept Jackson College 8-0 and 15-0 today.
Game 1: Owens 8 Jackson College 0 (5 Innings)
Ducat tossed a one-hitter, while three players had two hits apiece as the Express jumped on Jackson early in a five inning victory.
In the first, Ducat allowed a leadoff walk, but retired the next three batters. Emily Morrow (Monroe Jefferson/Newport, Mich.) then doubled to lead off the home half of the inning. With two outs, Rockman lined an RBI single to right that put the Express on the board.
Josie Hall (New London/New London, Ohio) then reached on a fielding error by Jackson's left fielder, allowing Rockman to score. Tori Weidinger (Whitmer/Toledo, Ohio) followed her by belting an RBI triple to right field. On the play, the right fielder made a throwing error, allowing Weidinger to score and make it 4-0 after one.
In the second, the Express tacked on three more runs thanks to three straight RBI hits. With two outs and Morrow on first, Molly Gast (Sylvania Southview/Toledo, Ohio) doubled to score Morrow, Brittany George (Elmwood/Wayne, Ohio) singled to score Gast and Rockman singled to score George.
In the top of the third, Ducat allowed her only hit of the game, a two-out single, before the Express tacked on one more run in the home half via an RBI double from Morrow. Haley Hudgin (Ida/Ida, Mich.), who singled with one out, scored on the play.
Morrow (2-for-3, two runs, RBI), George (2-for-3, R, RBI) and Rockman (2-for-3, R, 2 RBIs) led the Express offense.
Ducat (3-0) picked up her third win, two of which came with her starting. In five innings, she allowed one hit and five walks while striking out six. She only faced 17 batters and retired the last five she faced.
Game 2: Owens 15 Jackson 0 (6 Innings)
Similar to the first game, the Express pounced on Jackson with four runs in the first inning before closing the game out with eight runs in the sixth inning as they cruised to a 15-0 win.
Williams (1-0) went the distance for the Express in her first collegiate start and second collegiate appearance. She didn't allow a hit until giving up a pair of singles in the third inning. She then gave up one single in the fourth and sixth innings before getting a game ending 6-4-3 double play.
Offensively, the Express got a two-run double from Rockman and a two-run single from Hudgin in the first, followed by a two-run double from Weidinger in the third. In the fourth, Rockman's RBI double plated pinch runner Shelby Bruckner (Summerfield/Petersburg, Mich.) to make it 7-0.
After a scoreless fifth inning that saw Hudgin stranded at second after a single and a stolen base, the Express had nine players reach base in an eight run sixth inning.
Emily Mutter (Onsted/Manitou Beach, Mich.) led things off with an infield single to short for her first collegiate hit before Gast roped a single to left that scored her from first. George then reached on a fielder's choice where Jackson tried to get Gast out unsuccessfully.
With runners on the corners, Rockman singled with her third run scoring hit of the game to score Gast and make it 9-0. Hall followed with an RBI groundout to give the Express double digit runs for the first time this season.
Following Hall, five straight batters reached base. Weidinger got an RBI single to center that scored Rockman, Hudgin walked, Ashtin Staler (Swanton/Swanton, Ohio) reached on an error, Taylor Miller (Erie Mason/Toledo, Ohio) had an RBI single and Aubrey Geis (Toledo Christian/Wauseon, Ohio) had an RBI single to left to push the lead to 15.
Gast ended the inning by lining into a 5-3 double play.
Offensively, the Express were led by Rockman (3-for-4, 3 R, 4 RBIs), Gast (3-for-5, 2 R, RBI) and Weidinger (3-for-4, R, 3 RBIs). Hudgin also picked up two hits and finished 2-for-3, with a run and two RBIs.
Eleven different Express players scored a run in the game, which featured a season-high 16 hits.
The final line for Williams included six innings of four hit softball. She faced 23 batters and did not walk or strike any of them out.
Upcoming Schedule
The Express (4-0) will take on Olney Central College at 11 a.m. tomorrow before taking a break until the evening, where they will take on the Coastal Carolina club team at 8 p.m.
Statistical Leaders
Through four games, 12 players have at least one hit for the Express. Rockman, one of the team's three sophomores, leads the way with seven hits and seven RBIs, while checking in with a .500 batting average. She is also tied with George for the team lead in runs at six.
Of players who have at least three games worth of at bats, Morrow is 5-for-9 with an .556 batting average, Gast is 6-for-12 with a .500 batting average, Hudgin is 4-for-9 with a .444 batting average and Weidinger is 5-for-13 with a .385 batting average. Hall and George are each hitting 5-for-14 with .357 batting averages.
In the circle, Ducat is 3-0 with a 2.81 ERA. In 16 innings, she has allowed 10 hits, six runs (five earned) and nine walks with 17 strikeouts. Williams has tossed 8.1 innings with a 1.08 ERA. She has allowed six hits, one run and four walks with one strikeout.