By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Cleveland, Ohio---Emily Rockman (Springfield/Holland, Ohio) blasted three home runs in today's doubleheader as the No. 17 Owens Community College softball team swept Lakeland Community College on the road.
Game 1: Owens 14 Lakeland 4 (Five Innings)
The Express scored eight runs in the fourth inning to break open a two run game in today's first game.
In the first, the Express plated a pair of runs off wild pitches before Lakeland got one back in the bottom half off Express starter Lesley Ducat (Evergreen/Lyons, Ohio).
In the second, Emily Morrow (Monroe Jefferson/Newport, Mich.) had a two-run single, Alexandra Veres (Cardinal Stritch/Toledo, Ohio) scored on an RBI double from Brittany George (Elmwood/Wayne, Ohio) and Molly Gast (Sylvania Southview/Toledo, Ohio) plated Morrow on an RBI double to right field to put the Express up 6-1 through two.
After a scoreless frame for the Express offense in the top half of the third, Lakeland took advantage of some sloppy Express defense in the bottom half. Three errors helped Lakeland scored three runs, which cut their deficit to just two through three.
However, the Express answered when Tori Weidinger (Whitmer/Toledo, Ohio) and Rockman hit back-to-back homers in an eight-run fourth. Weidinger's was a grand slam to center, while Rockman golfed a line drive homer to right center to put the Express up 11-4.
Veres added an RBI grounder and Gast closed the inning's scoring with an RBI double to put the Express up 10 through three and a half.
Ducat then tossed two hitless, scoreless frames to complete the game.
Weidinger finished 2-for-4 with her grand slam, while Gast was 2-for-2 with three runs, a double and three RBIs. Rockman finished 2-for-4 with her homer, while also adding a triple. Morrow also had multiple hits as she finished 2-for-4 with two runs.
Gast's three runs scored were a team-high, while three others scored two each - including Veres, Morrow and Taylor Miller (Erie Mason/Toledo, Ohio). Miller finished 0-for-1, but walked twice to score her runs.
Weidinger's homer was her team-high ninth of the season.
Aside from the rocky third inning, Ducat was solid. She allowed three hits in the game - all in the third inning - while moving to 17-3 overall. In her five innings, she gave up just one earned run and walked none. She struck out two.
Chantel Smithberger went the distance for Lakeland. She allowed 12 hits, 14 runs (12 earned) and four walks while striking out two.
Game 2: Owens 23 Lakeland 0 (Five Innings)
In one of the most lopsided games in program history, the Express offense rattled the Lakeland pitching duo of Smithberger and Shayla Purnell to the tune of 23 runs.
While her offense was pouring on the runs, Express starter Lexi Williams (Home School/Swanton, Ohio) was tossing a shutout. She struck out five through the first two innings and allowed only four hits and three walks over her five innings while improving to 4-4 this year.
Aubrey Geis (Toledo Christian/Wauseon, Ohio) got things started for the Express offense with a two-run single up the middle in the first. Rockman followed her in the next at bat with a two-run homer to left center. Veres closed the inning's scoring with an RBI single to center to score Josie Hall (New London/New London, Ohio), who had singled to third base and advanced to second on an error in the at bat before Veres.
In the second, the Express tallied seven runs to take a 12-0 lead. Morrow scored on a wild pitch, Geis had an RBI single down the left field line, Rockman blasted a 3-run homer to center and Hall wrapped a line drive homer around the foul pole in left field.
After Williams struck out three in a scoreless bottom half of the second, the Express offense struck for three more runs in the third. Hall had an RBI single to left, Veres had an RBI fielder's choice and Hall scored on a wild pitch to make it 15-0.
In the fourth, the Express offense produced their second seven run inning of the game. Miller scored on a wild pitch, Weidinger and Rockman had bases loaded walks, Ducat had a two-run single to left and Kendall Murphy (Maumee/Toledo, Ohio) had a pinch hit two-run single to put the Express up 22-0.
The Express, who purposely left a base early three times over the final two innings, plated their final run on an RBI single by Shelby Bruckner (Summerfield/Petersburg, Mich.) in the fifth.
Rockman finished 3-for-3 with three runs, six RBIs, two home runs and two walks to lead the Express offense. Geis went 3-for-3 with a team-high five runs, a double, two walks and three RBIs. Hall finished 3-for-3 with three runs, a two-run homer and three RBIs. Morrow was the fourth Express player with three or more hits. She finished 3-for-3 with three runs and a walk.
Five Express players (Morrow, Gast, Geis, Rockman and Hall) scored three or more runs, while Weidinger and Ducat plated two runs each. Nine different players scored at least a run, eight different players had at least one RBI and 10 different players had at least one hit.
Hall's two-run blast was her first collegiate homer, while Rockman's two homers (along with her first game homer) pushed her season total to seven. She now has 12 career homers, as well.
Smithberger, once again, started and took the loss for Lakeland. She allowed 15 hits, 17 runs (16 earned) and nine walks over three innings. Purnell allowed five hits, six runs and four walks over two innings. Purnell relieved Smithberger in the middle of the second and Smithberger re-entered later in the game.
Wrap Up
Today's doubleheader marked the end of conference play for the Express, who secured the outright championship earlier this month. They are now 21-7 overall and 11-1 in Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) play.
The Express totaled 11 extra base hits today, including five home runs, one triple and five doubles.
Sunday's doubleheader at Jackson College, which was scheduled to be the next action for the Express, was canceled yesterday. So, their next action will now be at Macomb Community College on May 1 at 3 p.m.
After today's game, the Express have six players hitting over .400 including George (.506), Weidinger (.494), Rockman (.483), Geis (.471), Morrow (.443) and Emily Mutter (Onsted/Manitou Beach, Mich.), who is hitting .421).
In terms of team highs, Morrow now has a team-high 13 stolen bases, Weidinger has a team-high nine homers, Weidinger (14) and George (11) lead in doubles, Rockman (43) leads in hits and George (31) leads in runs.
As a team, the Express are hitting .387, with an on base percentage of .455.