Yeowomen Fall to Wooster in Late-Inning Showdown

It was a packed week for Oberlin softball with four double headers, each featuring their own combination of joy and heartbreak.

In the bottom of the seventh, with the bases loaded, two outs, and two strikes on the batter, Oberlin was only one pitch away from a win. All they needed was a touch of good luck to swing their way, but it wasn't to be as Wooster knocked in a two-run single to win the April 15 game 3-2.

The game, however, did mark Oberlin's best performance by far this year. After a 9-1 loss in the opening game of last Saturday's doubleheader, the Yeowomen came alive the second game. The team only committed one error on defense, produced six hits, and pitchers junior Sarah Krier and sophomore Dawn Sweeney combined for a two-hitter. Krier posted her best outing thus far this season, pitching six innings while giving up only one hit, one unearned run and striking out one.

Krier also got it done from the plate, leading the offense with two hits in three at bats. Sophomore Becky Kanuch had a RBI double, and Sweeney knocked in the other run with a single in the fourth. First-year Maria Balducci and senior Katy-Durham Hammer scored Oberlin's two runs and both chipped in singles.

Head Coach Jane Wildman was very pleased with the team's efforts. "Our team played a great game," said Wildman, "and if we play like that we are going to win some games."

In the game one loss, Balducci paced Oberlin with two hits, and Krier had a fourth-inning RBI double. Picking up the other hits were outfielders first-year Paige Schwarz and sophomore Emily Johnson.

Thursday the team traveled to Allegheny for another doubleheader. The first game demonstrated much of the offensive problem the Yeowomen have faced all year.

"We have been coming in a little bit shaky the first inning in a lot of our games," said Wildman, referring to the team's less than productive early inning offense. "We need to come out stronger to allow us to be more competitive in the later innings of the game."

The Yeowomen had little time to breathe after Allegheny jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first two innings of play. With the offense only mustering three hits, there was null time to play catch-up. Senior catcher Jami Silver roped a double, and Kanuch and Sweeney each had singles. Krier went the distance from the mound picking up the loss.

With their three errors on the defensive side matching their three total hits, though, the Yeowomen needed some more offense in the second game. The answer to a healthy portion of that offense was Balducci. The hot-hitting third basemen reached base four of five times from her leadoff spot. She knocked three hits, including two doubles, added a walk, and had four assists from third.

The Yeowomen put together a great fourth inning in which they brought home three runs to bring themselves within one, 4-5. They couldn't hold the Allegheny offense as the 'Gators scored three runs in the fifth and sixth innings to eventually win, 11-5.

Two days later, Oberlin returned home to face a strong Wittenberg squad. They were blanked in the opener, 0-14, and only had two base runners the entire game, with Balducci singling and Sweeney walking. Six defensive errors certainly didn't help, but not much could be done to alter the Wittenberg pitcher's game.

Little changed for the second game of the afternoon as Oberlin fell 15-1 against another tough pitcher and a still powerful offense. Kanuch provided a little spark with two hits.

"We faced two very good pitchers, and their pitcher in the first game holds several conference records. It's hard to gain any confidence as a hitter in those situations," said Wildman.

After the long weekend, the Yeowomen went on to play Hiram at home Wednesday. They dropped both games, 9-2 in the first, and 9-1 in the second. "I believe we are a better team than we showed, but we were also pretty mentally worn down after the long weekend," said Wildman. "With only twelve players and nine positions to fill, there is very little reprieve for us."

Today, the Yeowomen travel to Denison University for yet another doubleheader. They will return home Monday to play Case Western at 3:30 p.m. at Culhane Field.