By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, Ohio---The No. 13 Owens Community College softball team split a doubleheader at home against Mott Community College today.
Game 1: Owens 6 Mott 3
Tori Weidinger (Whitmer/Toledo, Ohio) paced the Express offense, while Lesley Ducat (Evergreen/Metamora, Ohio) picked up her sixth win in the circle.
Brittany George (Elmwood/Wayne, Ohio) got the game's scoring started with a two-out, solo home run to center in the first inning.
After Mott scored an unearned run in the second, the heart of the order came through for the Express in the third. With two outs and nobody on, George walked and scored on a double to left center by Weidinger. Weidinger then scored on a double to right center by Emily Rockman (Springfield/Holland, Ohio).
Mott, however, answered back with a two-run home run in the next half inning to tie the game at 3-all.
Josie Hall (New London/New London, Ohio) produced a fourth inning sacrifice fly to give the Express a 4-3 lead. Then, in the fifth, Weidinger started a two-run rally with a one out double. Ashtin Staler (Swanton/Swanton, Ohio), who pinch ran for Weidinger, scored one out later on a two-out single through the left side by Molly Gast (Sylvania Southview/Toledo, Ohio).
Shelby Bruckner (Summerfield/Petersburg, Mich.) pinch ran for Gast, who took second on the throw home. She scored on the next at bat via a single to right by Ducat.
Weidinger finished 3-for-3 with three doubles, one run and one RBI, while George was 1-for-3 with a home run, two runs, a walk and an RBI. Morrow finished 2-for-4, as well.
Ducat (6-0) struck out five over her seven innings, while allowing four hits and three runs. Stevie Newton took the loss for Mott. She allowed 10 hits, six runs and two walks in six innings.
Game 2 - Mott 5 Owens 4
Despite another home run from George, the Express let some careless defensive mistakes haunt them in a game two loss.
Mott took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but had a chance for more as they stranded the bases load. The Express answered back with two in the bottom half thanks to a sacrifice fly from George and an RBI single to center from Rockman.
The Express lead was stretched to 3-1 after an RBI double from Rockman in the third, but the next half inning spelled trouble for the home squad.
After Mott had tied the game at 3-all, Rockman dropped the potential third out on a pop fly at second base that allowed the go-ahead run to score.
Mott added another unearned run in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead before George's two-out solo shot in the bottom half made the final margin.
Aubrey Geis (Toledo Christian/Wauseon, Ohio) nearly tied the game for the Express in the sixth, but her shot to center was caught on the warning track.
Lexi Williams (Home School/Swanton, Ohio) started for the Express, and she took the loss after allowing eight hits, four runs (three earned) and three walks in 3.2 innings. She struck out two. Ducat went the final 3.1 innings and allowed three hits, one run (zero earned) and one walk while striking out four.
Rockman finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs, George went 1-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI and Emily Mutter (Onsted/Manitou Beach, Mich.) went 2-for-3 with one run.
Angel Campbell went the distance in the circle for Mott. She allowed nine hits, four runs (three earned) and zero walks over seven innings. She struck out one.
Wrap Up
The Express are now 7-1 this year and are scheduled to take on Kellogg Community College at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow in a home doubleheader.
Today's doubleheader was the home opener.