Story by Eli Altherr
WILMINGTON, Ohio - The Otterbein University pitching staff allowed four hits in two games as the Cardinals defeated the Wilmington College softball team 6-1 and 6-2 in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) doubleheader on Wednesday.
Alyson Shaw stole home in the bottom of the first inning to get things started for the Cardinals. Rachael Owens singled and knocked Bailey McElwain in later in the same inning to give Otterbein a 2-0 lead. The lead grew to 3-0 when Kristen Zink scored on a double from Maddie Flasco. Shaw would score her second run on a single from McElwain in the bottom of the sixth. McElwain would make it home on an error later in the same inning. Mariyah Burkhardt scored on a fielder's choice in the top of the seventh for the Quakers.
Burkhardt had the only hit and run for Wilmington while KenDahl Bowles had an RBI for the Fightin' Quakers. Bailey McElwain came up huge with three hits and two RBI's for Otterbein. Katrina Wierzbicki and Kristen Zink each had two hits for the Cardinals. Beth Persicano had three strikeouts and three walks while allowing 10 hits in six innings for the Quakers. Gabby Johnson had nine strikeouts and six walks, while allowing only one hit for Otterbein.
Wilmington got off to a quick start in the second game when Savannah Hooper scored on a fielder's choice in the top of the first inning. The Cardinals struck back in the bottom of the third inning when Shaw scored on a single from Megan Garner. Owens would hit a double in the same inning to help Garner and Maria Herron score. Wierzbicki hit a home run with Owens on base and made it a 5-1 advantage for the Cardinals at the end of the third. Megan Crager scored on an error in the top of the fifth inning. Otterbein would go on to win 6-2.
Savannah Hooper, Alecia Kemp, and Jillia Cook all each had a hit for Wilmington. Allison Pierce had an RBI while Megan Garner had three hits and an RBI for Otterbein. Alyson Shaw and Rachael Owens also helped the Cardinals with two hits each.
Grace Shell had two strikeouts and three walks while allowing 10 hits and a homerun in six innings for the Fightin' Quakers. Rachael Owens had three strikeouts and two walks while allowing three hits in seven innings for the Cardinals.
Wilmington falls to 9-11 overall and 2-8 in the OAC. Otterbein now stands at 20-8 overall and 7-3 in the OAC.
Wilmington travels to Marietta College for an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.