BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin-Wallace College softball team swept a non-league doubleheader from Cleveland cross-town rival Case Western ReserveUniversity today (April 9, 2009) at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds Field in Berea.  The Yellow Jackets won the first game, 2-1 with a two-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning, and captured the nightcap, 9-0 in five innings due to the eight-run 'mercy' rule. B-W has won eight straight games.

 

The sweep improves the Yellow Jackets to 18-8 overall and they next play tomorrow when they host Ohio Athletic Conference rival Marietta College in a key OAC twinbill at 3:30 p.m. At 4-2 in the OAC, BW trails co-leaders Marietta and Muskingum College by one game. Marietta and Muskingum also are playing a twinbill today. CWRU is now 11-19 overall.

 

In the first game, CWRU gained a 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the third inning. The game stayed that way until the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh, sophomore shortstop Katrina Resek (Strongsville) reached second on a two-base error. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by starting pitcher, freshman Sarah Baker (Mentor/ Lake Catholic). After a walk to junior rightfielder Monica Brasee (Wellington) and the second out of the frame which moved Brasee to second, junior CF Mallory Kobak (Independence) laced a double to score both runners to win the game.

 

Offensively, BW had just four base hits with Kobak, junior LF Chelsea Saunders (Medina/ Highland), Resek and Brasee each having one. On the mound, Baker started and worked all seven innings for her 10th complete game of the season and ninth victory.  Her record now stands at 9-4.  Baker gave up three hits, one unearned run, struck out four and walked just one.

 

In the second game, B-W gained a 5-0 lead after one inning, 6-0 after two innings and 9-0 after three en route to its eighth straight win during its streak.

 

At the plate, Kobak led the way with two base hits and two runs scored. Junior third baseman Megan Coyne (Valley City/ LaGrange Keystone) had the big hit in the five-run first inning with a three-run triple and junior 2B Lauren Sabolik (Strongsville) blasted a three-run homer in the third. On the mound, sophomore Mackenzie Rohrbacher (Sandusky/ Senior) threw her eighth complete game of the season, a one-hit shutout, to improve to 8-4 overall. She struck out seven and did not walk a batter.

 

After 26 contests, Kobak leads the team with a .463 batting average (44-of-95), four triples and 28 stolen bases.  Saunders is second in batting at .434 (36-of-89) and is second with eight stolen bases in eight attempts. Davis is third in batting at .416 (37-of-89) with a team-leading 30 runs scored and 12 doubles and she is second with 37 base hits and 32 runs batted-in. Senior All-OAC first baseman Caitlin Myor is hitting .400 (34-of-85) with a team-leading nine home runs and 35 RBI.

 

Baker leads the pitching staff with an 9-4 record and a 1.88 earned run average, has thrown four shutouts and is holding opponent hitters to a .223 batting average.  She has also struck out 42 batters in 85 and two-third innings pitched. Rohrbacher is 8-4 with a 1.97 ERA and has struck out a team-leading 58 batters in 74 and two-third innings of work.

 

Following its doubleheader versus Marietta tomorrow, BW is off until next week when it hosts Ohio Northern University on Monday, April 13 at 3:30 p.m., travels to Meadville, Pennsylvania to play Allegheny College on Tuesday, April 14 at 3:30 p.m. and travels to Westerville to play an OAC doubleheader against Otterbein College on Wednesday, April 15 at 3:30 p.m. B-W also is home next Saturday, April 18 when it hosts Muskingum at 1:00 p.m. on Seniors' Day.

 

FOR  MORE  INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at (440) 826-2327 and via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu or Assistant SID Nick Minerd by phone at (440) 826-2780 and via e-mail at nminerd@bw.edu.  To contact Head Coach Tom Spencer, please call him at (440) 826-3988 in his office and e-mail him at tspencer@bw.edu.  More information may be accessed on the BW athletics page atwww.bw.edu/athletics.