Sunday’s Scoreboard
Bowling Green 0, Tennessee Tech 4
Bowling Green 3, Tennessee 9
Western Michigan 3, FIU 4
Ohio 3, USC-Upstate 1
Northern Illinois 3, Northwestern State 4
Toledo 5, Marist 2
Akron 0, Purdue 9
Miami 3, FGCU 2
Kent State 0, Arkansas 8
Ball State 1, Columbia 10
Stories Courtesy Of MAC Sports Information
Ohio 3, USC-Upstate 1
Box Score
CONWAY, S.C. – Once again led by junior Katie Yun, the Ohio softball team (8-12) wrapped up play at the 2020 Courtyard Marriott Barefoot Landing Invitational Sunday morning (March 1), defeating USC Upstate (13-4), 3-1.
In the top of the first inning. Ohio got the first baserunner after freshman Alexis Dawe (Valley Springs, Calif.) drew a walk. However, the Bobcats were unable to get her home, sending the game to the bottom of the inning with the game still scoreless.
After a scoreless bottom of the first and second inning, Ohio struck in the top of the third. With one out, freshman Molly Troutman (Gahanna, Ohio) drew a walk. She then moved to second on an error after junior Allie Englant (Long Beach Calif.) reached on a fielder's choice. Then with two outs, Yun (North Canton, Ohio) came to the plate and crushed the Bobcats' first hit of the day over the fence, giving Ohio a 3-0 lead going to the bottom of the third.
After a scoreless bottom of the third for Upstate, Ohio threatened to add on in the bottom of the inning when with two out, junior Brooke Rice (Mason, Ohio) singled. However, the Bobcats were unable to get her around, sending the game to the bottom of the frame with Ohio leading, 3-0.
After a scoreless fourth and top of the fifth, Upstate got on the board in the bottom off the fifth inning on a leadoff solo home run to cut the Ohio lead to 3-1 going to the sixth inning.
Ohio threatened to add on in the top of the sixth inning when Yun and sophomore Caitlin Fogue (Columbia, Mo.) both walked, putting runners on first and second with no outs. However, the Upstate defense got out of the jam, sending the game to the bottom of the sixth with Ohio still leading, 3-1.
Neither team would make much noise offensively over the final inning and a half, with the Bobcats sealing the 3-1 victory.
Overall, Ohio scored three runs on two hits and did not commit an error, while USC Upstate scored one run on nine hits and committed one error.
Individually, Yun recorded one hit, a home run with three RBI and one run scored, while Rice registered the Bobcats other hit.
In the circle, junior Madi McCrady (Brimfield, Ohio) pitched four innings, allowing one run on eight hits and did not allow a walk. Redshirt sophomore Baylie Thornhill (Baton Rouge, La.) entered the game in the fifth inning and pitched the final three innings and did not allow a run on one hit.
Up next, the Bobcats head to Madeira Beach, Fla. March 7-8 for THE Spring Games where they will take on St. Bonaventure, Iowa, South Dakota State and Merrimack.
Toledo 5, Marist 2
Box Score
WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Toledo softball team won its final game of the UNCW Softball Invitational, defeating Marist by a 5-2 margin. The Rockets broke open a tight game by scoring single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Freshman McKenna Schmidt was credited with her second career win, striking out one and allowing two hits. Macey Moore and Samantha Golden led the Rockets once again by going 2-for-3 at the plate.
"We had a really nice weekend in North Carolina," said head coach Joe Abraham. "Things came together at the plate and in the field. We got a great game from McKenna in the final game against Marist. She also had a good relief outing on Friday. Erin pitched lights out again. Anna, Sam, and Macey were on fire at the plate. When you combine all of that with decent weather and a great softball facility, our girls had a blast."
Miami 3, FGCU 2
Box Score
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – The Miami University softball team (9-6) wrapped up tournament play at THE Spring Games on Sunday with a 3-2 win against Florida Gulf Coast.
All three Miami pitchers saw time in the circle as Taylor Rathe got the start. Rathe went two innings, giving up one run on four hits.
Brianna Pratt entered the game to start the third inning and pitched four innings. Pratt gave up one run on two hits in the sixth inning after three-straight innings of retiring FGCU in order.
Courtney Vierstra came in as relief for the seventh inning, throwing two strikeouts and allowing no hits. Vierstra passed 100 strikeouts this season in her appearance.
Florida Gulf Coast took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on two singles and a hit by pitch but Miami responded immediately to tie the game at one in the bottom of the first. Morgan Lott led off with a single and advanced to second on a bunt by Holly Blaska that saw her safe at first on a fielding error. Allie Cummins laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third. Jada Dotson scored Lott from third on an infield ball to tie the game.
The score was tied at one until the bottom of the fourth inning. Hannah Obrey singled and Maclai Branson was walked as the RedHawks had runners on first and second with two outs. Julia Kennedy entered the game to pinch hit and brought Obrey home with a single. Kennedy advanced to second on the throw while Branson went to third. They would be stranded to end the inning but Miami had taken a 2-1 lead.
The RedHawks held the 2-1 lead until FGCU was able to tie it up at two in the top of the sixth. FGCU hit a leadoff single, stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. The lead-off batter scored before two-straight defensive plays by Miami ended the inning.
Miami won the game in the bottom of the seventh after holding FGCU in the top half of the inning. Kara Leckinger pinch hit, getting a one-out single for the RedHawks' first base runner of the inning. Lott hit her third single of the game to advance Leckinger to second. After a FGCU pitching change, Blaska drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Leckinger scored the game-winning run on a fielding error that saw Cummins safe at first.
Lott led the offense with her third multi-hit game of the weekend, going 3-of-4.
