By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Myrtle Beach, SC---The Express softball team opened their season today with two wins behind two solid pitching performances, a key double play, and some timely hitting.
Game 1:
Against NJCAA Div. I Olney Central College, Jordan Ratliff (Summerfield/Petersberg, Mich.) went all seven innings for the Express while allowing eight hits, two runs, and two walks while striking out six. The sophomore (1-0) is a transfer from Lake Forest College in Chicago, Ill.
Samantha Tomasino took the loss for Olney Central, who had offensive threats in the fourth and fifth innings stopped by the Express.
Ratliff got a strike out and a fly out to end a bases loaded threat in the fourth, while Express centerfielder Kristen Roznoski (Cardinal Stritch/Toledo, Ohio) completed an 8-3 double play with first baseman Matea Rice (Clay/Oregon, OH) to end the threat in the fifth with only one run scored.
The game was tied headed into the home half of the sixth when the Express scored three runs on six hits. Rice, Courtney Mowery (Genoa/Genoa, Ohio), Michelle Hollister (Airport/Newport, Mich.), Roznoski, Ashleigh Whitacre (Central Catholic/Toledo, Ohio), and Alaina Haubert (Gibsonburg/Gibsonburg, Ohio) each had singles. Hollister had one RBI, and Whitacre had two RBIs in the inning.
Roznoski went 3-4 with two runs as the leadoff hitter, while Haubert also went 3-4 at the plate. Rice went 2-2 and Mowery went 2-3 with one RBI.
The Express scored their run in the first inning on an error, but they knocked around Olney Central pitching for 13 hits. Owens did not commit any errors in the field.
Game 2:
The Express had some fun in game two as they scored ten runs on six hits while defeating the Community College of Beaver County 10-1 in five innings.
In the bottom of the first, Roznoski led off being hit by a pitch and stole second. Whitacre bunted safely and Roznoski scored from second on the play, while Whitacre moved to second. Haubert later knocked in Whitacre with an RBI groundout to put the Express up 2-0.
With the lead, Elizabeth Weber (Oak Harbor/Elmore, Ohio) settled in on the mound – leading to a dominant performance. The sophomore struck out 10 of the 20 batters she faced and allowed only one hit – a solo home run on a changeup in the fourth inning. She allowed only two walks and one hit batter.
The home run pulled Beaver County to within one, but Owens scored two runs in the fourth and six more in the fifth to end the game.
In the fourth inning, the Express got both of their runs with two outs and no one on. Rice singled, Annie DeTray (Oak Harbor/Oak Harbor, Ohio) walked, and Kelley Molloy (Whitmer/Toledo, Ohio) knocked both of them in to put the Express up 4-1.
In the sixth, Roznoski singled and stole two bases, Whitacre was hit by a pitch and stole two bases, Haubert singled in Whitacre, Lindsey Bandeen (Springfield/Holland, Ohio) walked, Bridget Wolfe (Bellevue/Bellevue, Ohio) knocked in Haubert and Bandeen, and Rice singled to knock in Wolfe. All told, the Express scored six runs on four hits.
Rice led the Express at the plate while going 2-3 with an RBI. Once again, the Express did not commit an error in the field.
Owens (2-0) has another doubleheader tomorrow. They will take on Sauk Valley C.C. at 9 a.m. and Lincoln College at 11 a.m.