PEPPER PIKE, OHIO – The Baldwin Wallace University softball team rallied for two runs in the seventh inning, but eventually lost the first game of a non-conference doubleheader at Ursuline College, 8-5, today (Sunday, April 14, 2013). Today's twinbill is the second of six doubleheaders in a six-day span. The second game begins in 20 minutes.
The loss drops BW to 13-10 overall. Ursuline improves to 7-14.
BW took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. A single from sophomore first basemen Mackenzie Brua (Avon) scored freshman second basemen Alison Fiorucci (Seven Hills/Holy Name), who reached on a one-out single. Brua then stole second base and sophomore All-Ohio Athletic Conference honorable mention shortstop Brittany Lightel (Tallmadge), who also singled, scored on senior catcher Megan Passwaiter's throw.
Ursuline tallied three hits, including a pair of doubles, and tied the game in the bottom of the third.
Both teams combined for just three base runners through the fourth and fifth innings before the Yellow Jackets broke the 2-2 tie with a single tally in the sixth. Junior All-OAC designated hitter Tabitha Murray (Mogadore/Field) led off the sixth and was hit by a pitch. Junior Kate Carabin (Norwalk/St. Paul), pinch running for Murray, advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by senior right fielder Alyssa Brown (Hudson), then scored on a single by Lightel.
The Arrows answered in their half of the sixth by rallying for six runs and took an 8-3 lead.
A two-run home run by junior second-team All-OAC left fielder Ashley Elber (Huron/Edison), her first of the season, in the seventh started a two-out rally, but Ursuline coaxed a ground out to preserve the win.
Elber went 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and one run scored, and Lightel was 2-for-2 with a walk, RBI and a run.
Junior right-hander Nikki Peskura (Strongsville) pitched her third complete game of the season, allowing all eight runs (all earned) on 10 hits over six innings, struck out two batters and walked two, but suffered the loss to fall to 1-3.
Following today's second game, the Yellow Jackets are back in action tomorrow, April 15 when they travel to Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania for a non-league twinbill against Geneva College at 3 p.m. On Tuesday, April 16, BW plays a make-up OAC doubleheader against Capital University at 3 p.m. On Wednesday, April 17, BW is at Heidelberg University in Tiffin at 3 p.m. The flury of games ends with a home doubleheader against The College of Wooster on Thursday, April 18 at 3:30 p.m.
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.
