WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University softball team closed out the 2019 regular season portion of its schedule as it split an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader with Otterbein University on the Otterbein Softball Field
Otterbein (21-15, 12-6 OAC) won the opener by a final score of 2-0. BW (31-8, 12-5 OAC), who enter next week's OAC Tournament as the third seed, snapped a nine-game losing skid to the Cardinals as it took the finale by a score of 7-4.
In game one, the Yellow Jackets were held scoreless for the third time on the season on four hits. Otterbein scored two runs on seven hits as it pushed both runs across the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The BW offense got a base hit each from senior catcher Sami Minor (North Royalton), senior left fielder Abbie Thompson (Madison), junior Academic All-OAC second baseman Alex Kozich (Avon) and freshman designated player Ashley Matousek (Sagamore Hills/Akron Archbishop Hoban).
In the circle, freshman right hander Nikki Camarati (Brunswick/Holy Name), who is this week's OAC Pitcher of the Week for the fourth time this season, fell to 19-4 on the season as she allowed two runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts and two walks.
In game two, the Yellow Jackets scored seven runs on 11 hits as they plated one run in the third and fourth, two in the fifth and three in the sixth. The Cardinals scored four runs on five hits as they pushed four runs across the plate in the third.
The BW offense was led by Kozich as she went 2-for-2 with a double, walk and two sacrifice bunts. Senior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC right fielder Alexis Boledovic (Brook Park/Berea-Midpark) was 2-for-3 with a run scored and two walks. Minor went 2-for-4 with a run scored and run batted-in (RBI). Senior All-OAC shortstop Erica English (North Olmsted) was 2-for-4 with a double and RBI. Three other Yellow Jacket hitters had a base knock as junior first baseman Shelby Sprouse (Granville) and freshman third baseman Kami Helm (Uniontown/Green) each had an RBI.
In the circle, sophomore All-OAC left hander Abby Cosart (Lima/Bath) improved to 11-4 as she allowed four runs on five hits with one strikeout and four walks in 5.1 innings. Camarati pitched the final 1.2 innings and did not allow a run or hit with three strikeouts and one walk for her second career save.
BW is back in action on Friday, May 3 when it travels to New Concord for its opening game of the OAC Tournament against second-seed Ohio Northern University at Donna Newberry Field on the campus of Muskingum University at 10 a.m.
