BEREA , OHIO – Junior third baseman Lauren Fecuich (Kent/Field) hit a walkoff home run with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Baldwin Wallace University softball team beat Ohio Athletic Conference rival Marietta College, 6-5, in the first game of a season-ending OAC doubleheader on Seniors' Day at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds Field.
With its win, BW is 20-17 overall and 5-10 in the OAC prior to today's second game. The Yellow Jackets won their 20th game for the fourth time in the last five years. With its loss, Marietta is 20-15 overall and 10-7 in the OAC prior to the nightcap.
Feciuch, who has played in just 19 games this season due to injury, played in her first game since March and batted twice. She entered the game in the fifth inning. The walkoff home run was the second of her career and first since hitting one in extra innings against OAC-rival Ohio Northern University two years ago in the OAC Tournament Championship Game. The homer gave BW both the OAC tourney title and a spot in the 2011 NCAA Division III National Tournament.
The Pioneers opened a 3-0 lead with a run in the top half of each of the first three innings.
BW came back to take a 5-0 lead with a five-run bottom of the third inning. Freshman center fielder Jessica Chidsey (West Salem/Black River) opened the inning by reaching base on a Marietta fielding error and advanced to second base on a ingle by junior All-OAC pitcher/ designated hitter Tabitha Murray (Mogadore/Field). After an out, senior RF Alyssa Brown (Hudson) singled to score Chidsey to cut the deficit to 3-1, and Murray advanced to third and Brown to second on a second Pioneer throwing miscue. Murray and Brown scored when junior Academic All-OAC third baseman Kaity Mullen (Avon Lake) singled to tie the score at 3-3. After the second out, BW gained a 5-3 lead when freshman second baseman Angelina Ciraci (Bolivar/Tuscawaras Central Catholic) belted her first career home run.
Marietta had a golden opportunity to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning as it had runners on second and third. It scored one run on a sacrifice fly to make it 5-4, but the runner at second was doubled off at third base when Alyssa Brown cut her down with a perfect throw.
The Pioneers tied the game at 5-5 in the seventh inning, and that set up Feciuch's heroics.
At the plate, Murray led the way with three hits in four at-bats and a run scored. Chidsey, Ciraci and sophomore first baseman Mackenzie Brua (Avon) each had a pair of hits. Chidsey was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Ciraci was 2-for-three with a run scored and the two-run homer in the third inning. Brua was 2-for-3.
On the mound, Murray started her 21st game of the season and pitched all seven innings, allowed nine hits, five runs (four earned), struck out six and issued three bases on balls as she improved to 17-9 overall. The complete game was the 18th this season. She now has 167 strikeouts in 164 innings pitched this season.
FOR MORE BW 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 Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu. Fans can access the latest BW athletics information at www.bwyellowjackets.com and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.
May 29, 2013
26 BW Student-Athletes Tabbed Academic All-OAC
April 27, 2013
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April 27, 2013
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April 25, 2013
Rain Forces Cancellation of BW Softball Doubleheader at Case
April 23, 2013
Softball Falls to Cross-Town Rival John Carroll in Game One
April 23, 2013
Softball Swept By John Carroll in OAC Doubleheader
April 21, 2013
Murray Blasts Two HR, Shuts Out ONU
April 21, 2013
BW Softball Falls to ONU, 11-6, in Game One
April 18, 2013
BW Softball Team Beats Wooster, 8-3, in Game One
April 18, 2013
BW Softball's Late Comeback Falls Short Against Wooster
April 17, 2013
Murray Shuts Out Heidelberg in Game One
April 17, 2013
BW Softball Team Falls to Heidelberg, 4-3, in Game Two
April 16, 2013
BW Softball Falls to Capital, 5-1, in First Game
April 16, 2013
BW Softball Falls to Capital in Second Game
April 15, 2013
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April 15, 2013
Yellow Jackets Sweep Geneva (Pa.)
April 14, 2013
Seventh-Inning Rally Falls Short in Game 1 at Ursuline
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April 12, 2013
Softball Doubleheader Vs. Capital Postponed for Third Time
April 10, 2013
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April 8, 2013
Murray Earns Second OAC Weekly Honor
April 5, 2013
BW Softball Team Edges NAIA Lourdes in Game Two, 8-7
April 4, 2013
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March 29, 2013
Fiorucci’s Career Day at the Plate Sparks BW 8-6 Victory
March 29, 2013
BW Softball Falls To Muskingum to Earn Doubleheader Split
March 24, 2013
BW Softball Announces Changes To Schedule
March 19, 2013
Tabitha Murray Named NFCA National Player of the Week
March 14, 2013
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March 13, 2013
Tabitha Murray Pitches Back-to-Back Perfect Games
March 12, 2013
Yellow Jacket Bats Buzz in 13-6 Win Against Chatham (Pa.)
March 11, 2013
Fiorucci’s Game Winner Caps Off Yellow Jacket Rally
March 11, 2013
BW Softball Drops First Game of Season to Texas Lutheran
March 10, 2013
Murray Dominates in Jackets Season Opener
March 10, 2013
Feciuch’s Home Run Sparks BW Victory
February 28, 2013
2013 Yellow Jacket Softball Looks to Contend in OAC Title Race