ADA, Ohio – The 24th-nationally ranked Baldwin Wallace University softball team dropped an Ohio Athletic Conference first place clash with Ohio Northern University on the ONU Softball Field.
Ohio Northern (15-9, 8-1 OAC), who has won eight straight games and improved to 48-29 in the all-time series, took the opener by a final score of 6-4 and the finale by a score of 2-1.
In game one, BW (25-5, 7-3 OAC) scored four runs on eight hits as it plated one run in the second on the solo homerun by junior Academic All-OAC second baseman Alex Kozich (Avon), two runs in the third and one in the seventh on the solo blast by senior catcher Sami Minor (North Royalton). The Polar Bears scored six runs on eight hits as it pushed three runs across the plate in the second and three in the third.
The Yellow Jacket offense was led by freshman third baseman Kami Helm (Uniontown/Green) as she went 2-for-3 with a double. Six other BW hitters had a base knock highlighted by the homeruns from Kozich and Minor and a double by freshman designated hitter Ashley Matousek (Sagamore Hills/Akron Archbishop Hoban). In addition, Kozich and Minor each had a run batted-in (RBI).
In the circle, freshman right hander Nikki Camarati (Brunswick/Holy Name), who is this week's OAC Pitcher of the Week for the third time this season, suffered her first loss to a Division III opponent and her first since March 5 as she allowed six runs (three earned) on eight hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 5.2 innings pitched. Camarati is now 15-2 on the season with a league leading 119 strikeouts. Matousek pitched one-third of an inning and faced one batter with a flyout.
In game two, BW scored one run on four hits as it plated the lone run on a solo homerun by sophomore Mackenzie Milligan (Cleveland/St. Joseph Academy) in the seventh. Ohio Northern scored two runs on six hits as it pushed both runs across in the second in the fifth.
The Yellow Jacket offense got a base hit from Kozich, Milligan, senior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC right fielder Alexis Boledovic (Brook Park/Berea-Midpark) and junior center fielder Macy Leach (Westerville/Central). Milligan and Leach had the extra base knocks with a homerun and double, respectively.
In the circle, sophomore All-OAC left hander Abby Cosart (Lima/Bath) took the loss as she allowed two runs (zero earned) on six hits with two strikeouts with one walk.
BW continues its six-game road trip when it travels to Hiram on Thursday, April 11 for its non-conference doubleheader finale against Hiram College at 4 p.m. The Yellow Jackets close out the road trip on Saturday, April 13 when they travel to New Concord for an OAC doubleheader against Muskingum University at 1 p.m.
