By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Kirtland, OH---The No. 8-ranked Express softball team closed out their school record regular season with a doubleheader split at Lakeland C.C.

Owens finishes their regular season 36-2 (6-2 OCCAC). They will share the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference title with Lakeland.

Game 1: Owens 7 Lakeland 4

The Express jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Kristen Roznoski (Cardinal Stritch/Toledo, Ohio) doubled down the third base line and was sacrificed to third by Ashleigh Whitacre (Central Catholic/Toledo, Ohio). She then scored on a sacrifice fly by Alaina Haubert (Gibsonburg/Gibsonburg, Ohio).

Then, in the second, Owens added two more on back-to-back home runs to lead off the inning by Bridget Wolfe (Bellevue/Bellevue, Ohio) and Matea Rice (Clay/Oregon, Ohio).

In the third, Haubert led off with a single. On the next at bat, Lindsey Bandeen (Springfield/Holland, Ohio) reached on an error by Lakeland's third baseman to put runners on first and third. A double steal then plated the fourth run for the Express.

Rice then opened the fourth inning with a single to right field. Kelley Molloy (Whitmer/Toledo, Ohio) then sacrificed pinch runner Morgan Gray (Clyde/Clyde, Ohio) to second base. Michelle Hollister (Airport/Newport, Mich.) proceeded to knock Gray in with an RBI double.

Roznoski then singled to third base to put runners on first and third. On the next pitch, Roznoski stole second base. Whitacre then hit a single to left field that plated both runners and put Owens up 7-0.

Neither team scored again until the bottom of the seventh when Lakeland scored four unearned runs off Express starter Jordan Ratliff (Summerfield/Petersburg, Mich.).

Rice led the Express offense at the plate with a 3-for-3 performance that included two singles and a solo home run. Roznoski added a 3-for-4 performance including two runs and a double.

Ratliff struck out one while allowing six hits and four runs (0 earned) in her complete game to move to 17-1 this season. She avenged an earlier loss to Lakeland.

Game 2: Lakeland 4 Owens 2

The game remained scoreless through two innings before the Express opened with a 1-0 lead once again. Allison Hausch (Bryan/Bryan, Ohio) and Hollister hit back-to-back singles to open the third inning. Gray then pinch ran for Hausch before Whitacre doubled to score Gray. However, Hollister was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

Lakeland answered back with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning on three hits and an error. One of the runs was unearned.

Owens tied it back up in the top of the fourth on a solo home run by Bandeen.

The game then remained scoreless until the bottom half of the sixth when Lakeland got a one out hit to left center that scored runners in second and third to give them a 4-2 lead.

Hausch then opened the seventh inning with a double to right center. The next batter, Hollister, beat out an infield single and then stole second base to put runners on second and third with no outs. Roznoski then lined out to left center, but the ball wasn't deep enough to score Kristen Shock (Northview/Toledo, Ohio), who pinch ran for Hausch.

Whitacre then hit a sharp ground ball to Lakeland's third baseman, who booted the ball to her left. There was no play at first, however, Hollister got caught between second and third when she thought Shock was advancing home. Lakeland took advantage by tagging Hollister out and then throwing home to get Shock for the final out.

Whitacre led Owens at the plate by going 3-for-4 with a double. The team had 11 hits, but wasn't able to string anything more together.

Michalak picked up her first loss in relief after Elizabeth Weber (Oak Harbor/Oak Harbor, Ohio) pitched the first four innings.

Weber allowed two runs (one earned), five hits, and one walk while striking out three. Michalak pitched two innings while giving up two hits and two runs while striking out two.

Notes:
The 36-2 regular season is the best in the program's history. Lakeland was the only team to defeat Owens and both of their wins came on the back end of the two doubleheaders between the two teams.

The Express will now open regional play on Thursday in Battle Creek, Mich. They own a #1 seed and will receive a bye into the semifinals. The tournament is double elimination and their first matchup will be at 12 p.m. against the winner of quarterfinal between Jackson C.C. and Lake Michigan C.C. Should they win that game, they will advance to the winner's bracket final at 6 p.m. The championship will be held on Friday.