By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, Ohio---The No. 12 Owens Community College softball team split a pair of games with conference rival Sinclair Community College at home today.
Game 1: Owens 11 Sinclair 6
An error-filled first game saw the Express come out on top thanks to the offensive performances of Emily Rockman (Springfield/Holland, Ohio), Haley Hudgin (Ida/Ida, Mich.) and Tori Weidinger (Whitmer/Toledo, Ohio).
After Express starter Lesley Ducat (Evergreen/Lyons, Ohio) pitched around a one-out single in the first, Weidinger's RBI double to right put the Express up 1-0 through one.
Ducat retired the Tartan Pride 1-2-3 in the second, while the Express added two unearned runs in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead.
Hudgin hit her first collegiate homer in the third inning, a two-run shot to left field that put her team up five.
The Tartan Pride rallied in the fourth with four runs to trim their deficit to one. They got RBI singles from Miranda Roberts, Alexis Goodpaster and Rachael Ward in the inning.
Brittany George (Elmwood/Wayne, Ohio) responded to those runs when she laced an RBI single to right field in the fifth to score Rockman, who led off the inning with a single to left center.
Roberts answered back for her team with an RBI double in the next half inning before the Express broke the game open in the bottom half of the fifth.
Josie Hall (New London/New London, Ohio) singled and later scored on a passed ball, Rockman hit a two-run homer to left and Weidinger produced a two-run single to center to gave the Express an 11-5 lead.
Kelly Wood's sacrifice fly to right pulled the Tartan Pride within five in the sixth, but it wasn't enough as Ducat held them scoreless the rest of the way.
Weidinger finished 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs, Rockman was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and a two-run homer, and Hudgin was 1-for-2 with a two-run homer.
George and Molly Gast (Sylvania Southview/Toledo, Ohio) also had two hits each. George went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, while Gast was 2-for-4 with a run.
As a team, the Express produced four extra base hits with two doubles and two home runs. Aside from Hudgin's first collegiate homer, Rockman's homer was her fourth of the season.
Ducat improved to 16-3 in the circle with her 13th complete game of the season. She allowed 10 hits, six runs (four earned) and two walks while striking out nine over her seven innings.
Kaila Sturgell (5-5) took the loss for Sinclair. She started and went 4.1 innings, while allowing 10 hits, nine runs (seven earned) and two walks. Sierra Breeze relieved her and pitched the final 1.2 innings. She allowed three hits, two runs (one earned) and zero walks. Sturgell and Breeze each struck out one.
Roberts led Sinclair offensively by finishing 2-for-4 with a run, a double and two RBIs.
Game 2: Sinclair 14 Owens 2
Sinclair's offense was too much for the Express pitching staff in today's second game loss.
After the Tartan Pride struck with one run in the first, Ducat's two-run single in the bottom half gave the Express their only lead of the game.
The Tartan Pride tied the game at two in the third before chasing Express starter Lexi Williams (Home School/Swanton, Ohio) with three runs in the fifth.
Ducat, in relief, then allowed four runs in the sixth as Sinclair opened up a 9-2 lead.
Emily Morrow (Monroe Jefferson/Newport, Mich.) pitched the seventh and allowed four hits, five runs and two walks. She struck out one.
Rockman led the Express offense as she was the only player with two hits. She finished 2-for-3 with a run. Gast, George, Weidinger and Ducat picked up the other four hits.
The final line for Williams (3-4) included eight hits, five runs and zero walks. Ducat allowed three hits, four runs and two walks while striking out three in 1.1 innings.
Breeze (3-0) went the distance to pick up the win. She allowed six hits, two runs and one walk while striking out one.
Madison Monnin couldn't be stopped offensively for Sinclair. The first baseman went 4-for-5 with three runs and seven RBIs. She had a double and three triples. Aside from her, Sierra Stewart went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs and Ward was 3-for-4 with four runs, a walk and two RBIs.
As a team, Sinclair produced five triples and two doubles in the second game.
Wrap Up
The Express are now 19-7 overall and 9-1 in OCCAC play. They will be back in action on Wednesday with a doubleheader at Lakeland Community College beginning at 3:30 p.m. It will mark the end of conference play for the Express.
Today's win over the Express marked the first in program history for the Tartan Pride against the Express. They were previously 0-7.
Notes
George (.507) and Weidinger (.506) are both hitting over .500 after today's doubleheader.