BEREA, OHIO-- The Baldwin-Wallace College softball team lost an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader at Muskingum University, 3-1 and 8-3, today (Saturday, May 1, 2010) in New Concord, Ohio. The first game loss ended a four-game Yellow Jacket winning streak.
With its two losses, B-W ends its season at 23-17 overall and ends its OAC schedule at 9-9. Muskingum is now 19-9 overall and ends its OAC schedule at 9-9. Muskingum also receives the No.4 seed in next week's OAC Tournament over B-W due to beating the Yellow Jackets twice.
In the first game, Muskingum took a 2-0 lead in the first inning via three hits and a fielding miscue by B-W that allowed the second run (unearned) to score. The Yellow Jackets cut the deficit to 2-1 with a run in the top of the second inning as senior third baseman Megan Coyne (Valley City/LaGrange Keystone) singled up the middle, advanced to second base via a wild pitch, to third on a groundout to the right side of the infield and scored on a single by junior 1B Katrina Resek (Strongsville). The Fighting Muskies scored their final run (unearned) in the fifth via a fielding error, a stolen base, a groundout to the right side and a sacrifice fly.
The loss unfortunately ruined a fine pitching performance by sophomore staff ace Sarah Baker (Mentor/Lake Catholic), who pitched her 21st complete game of the season and fell to 19-10 overall. Her 21 complete games rank second all-time in a single season in B-W history. She allowed five base hits and three runs (one earned) and struck seven Fighting Muskie batters and did not allow a walk. At the plate, four separate Yellow Jackets had base hits. They were senior shortstop Mallory Kobak (Independence), junior All-OAC and All-Central Region catcher Tanya Davis (Hinckley/ Medina Highland), Coyne and Resek.
In the second game, the Fighting Muskies jumped out to a 3-0 lead with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. B-W cut the defiicit to 3-1 with a run in the top of the third inning when senior rightfielder Lauren Sabolik (Strongsville) led off and reached first base via an error, advanced to second on a groundout, moved to third when senior LF Chelsea Saunders (Hinckley/ Medina Highland) singled and scored when Davis singled through the left side of the infield for her team-leading 38th RBI of the season.
After Muskingum regained its three-run advantage with a run in the bottom of third, the Jackets scored again in the top of the fourth as Resek doubled and scored on a single by sophomore 2B Katie Finley (Vermilion). Undaunted, Muskingum again countered with a run in the bottom of the fourth to increase its lead to 5-2 and added three more in the fifth to lead 8-2.
B-W valiantly tried to come back and scored one run in the top of the seventh as Kobak singled, moved to second when Saunders singled, stole third base for her single-season school-record 37th steal and career-record 71st overall and scored on a Davis groundout and 39th RBI this season.
On the mound, Baker started and took the loss to finish the season wth a school-record 19 victories and a 19-11 record. She pitched the first three innings before giving way in the fourth to junior Mackenzie Rohrbacher (Sandusky/ Senior) in the fourth inning. At the plate, Resek led the way with a double, triple and run scored.
The 2010 OAC Tournament begins on Friday, May 7 at top-seeded Ohio Northern University (34-2 overall, 16-0 OAC) in Ada, Ohio. The OAC Championship game is on Saturday, May 8.
FOR MORE B-W Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu or Assistant SID Nick Minerd by phone at 440-826-2780 and e-mail at nminerd@bw.edu. Fans can access the latest BW athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.