By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, Ohio---The Owens Community College softball team scored 18 runs on 26 hits in a sweep of Henry Ford College in today's home finale.
Game 1: Owens 6 Henry Ford 4
Owens came back from a three-run deficit behind the pitching of Lesley Ducat (Evergreen/Lyons, Ohio) and the bat of Ericca Herzog (Southview/Sylvania, Ohio) in today's first game.
After Owens took an early one run lead in the second via an error, Henry Ford's offense struck with four runs off Owens starter Lexi Williams (Home School/Swanton, Ohio) in the third.
After the fourth run scored, Ducat entered in relief with one runner on. After a walk to the first batter, she struck out the next three batters to prevent further damage.
In the home half, Makayla Burtscher (Bedford/Temperance, Mich.) lined an RBI single up the middle, and Tori Weidinger (Whitmer/Toledo, Ohio) roped an RBI double to left to pull Owens within one.
Then, in the fourth, Owens tied the game up with an RBI fielder's choice groundout from Brittany George (Elmwood/Wayne, Ohio).
Herzog provided the game's final runs, and the winning margin, in the fifth. With runners on first and second and two outs, she lined a hit to center that eluded Henry Ford's centerfielder and went all the way to the wall. Both runners scored and Owens led 6-4.
Ducat closed out the game by striking out four of the final six outs of the game, including all three in the seventh inning.
Weidinger finished 3-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Owens offense, while Breanna Buck (Springfield/Holland, Ohio) and Burtscher each added two hits. Buck finished 2-for-3, while Burtscher was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
Ducat improved to 15-5 this season with the win in relief. She allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out nine over five innings of work.
Williams allowed five hits and four runs over two plus innings. She struck out one.
Game 2: Owens 12 Henry Ford 4 (Six Innings)
Owens scored three runs in the first before adding five runs in the sixth to finish off Henry Ford 12-4 in today's second game.
All three of the first inning runs came with two outs. Ducat had a two-run single through the left side and Cassidy Rolf (Eastwood/Pemberville, Ohio) followed with an RBI single to center.
Henry Ford tied the game in the second with a three-run double off Ducat, who started the second game.
The momentum wouldn't last long for Henry Ford, however, as Burtscher produced her third inside the park home run of the season the next half inning to give Owens a 4-3 lead.
Neither team scored in the third. Williams then replaced Ducat to start the fourth. After allowing a leadoff single, Williams fielded a grounder in the circle and started a 1-6-3 double play. She then got a groundout to Rolf at third to end the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, a defensive mistake by Henry Ford led to a pair of Owens runs. With Josie Hall (New London/New London, Ohio) on second with two outs, Burtscher grounded a ball to to the right side that got through the first baseman's legs allowing Hall to score. Later in the same play, a throwing error allowed Burtscher to score and put Owens up 6-3.
Williams allowed her only run in the fifth on an RBI single, but Owens got the run back with an RBI double from Emily Young (Maumee/Maumee, Ohio) in the bottom of the fifth.
Then, after Williams retired Henry Ford 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth, Owens exploded for five runs in the home half to end the game.
Hall started the rally by hitting a solo home run to left center in the final home at bat of her career. Buck followed with a triple. Burtscher then struck out, but George walked and Jacey Gray (Springfield/Holland, Ohio) singled to load the bases with one out.
That's when Weidinger doubled and Young tripled, with each scoring two runs to end the game.
Hall (3-for-3, 2 R, HR, RBI), and Gray (3-for-4, 3 R) each led the Owens offense in hits, although Burtscher (2-for-4, 3 R, RBI), Young (2-for-3, R, 3 RBI, BB) and Weidinger (1-for-3, R, 2 RBI) also chippped in.
Williams (10-3) picked up the win in her final home appearance. She allowed just three hits, while walking none and striking out two over three innings.
Ducat got the no decision. She allowed four hits, three runs and three walks while striking out three over three innings.
Notes
Owens improved to 28-14 overall with the wins. They have now won 15 of the past 17 games, and are scheduled to travel to Oakland Community College for 3 p.m. doubleheader Friday. They will then close the regular season on Monday with a road DH against Kellogg Community College.
Ducat is now only 10 strikeouts away from 300 in her career. She is 36-9 with a 3.19 ERA in her two-year career.
Six sophomores saw their home careers end today, including Williams, Ducat, George, Aubrey Geis (Toledo Christian/Wauseon, Ohio), Weidinger and Hall. Geis started the second game at catcher.