Despite winning the first game of the weekend, the Bobcats were not able to carry their early success into the three remaining games of the Hampton Inn Invitational this weekend.
After firing on all offensive cylinders at the USC Upstate Classic last weekend, Ohio (4-4) struggled to muster any runs against solid competition. Instead, Ohio was forced to rely heavily on stout defense and strong pitching.
In the first game of the tournament, Ohio defeated St. Joseph’s in a low-scoring 2-1 affair. The game was tied at one in the bottom of the sixth inning, when Chelsea Hortman singled up the middle and drove in Brooke Morgart from second base to give the Bobcats their second lead of the day.
Ohio pitcher Kaylin Clarke clinched her first career victory by pitching 2 2/3 innings. The win against St. Joseph’s, however, was the lone one of the weekend for Ohio.
In the second game of the doubleheader Friday, the Bobcats battled host Campbell University in the highest-scoring game of Ohio’s weekend.
Campbell jumped out to a 5-1 lead after three innings, and despite a three-run Bobcat comeback, the Camels won 6-4. Raven King led Ohio on offense with a home run, as Lauren Gellerman was also a major factor by driving in two runs with a double in the top of the seventh.
In another doubleheader Saturday against Robert Morris and Towson, the Bobcats once again struggled at the plate.
Against Robert Morris in game one, no players crossed the plate until Tess Apke of Robert Morris crushed a home run with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ohio attempted a comeback in the bottom half of the inning, but the Colonials’ pitching was too much to overcome in the 1-0 final.
Ohio also dropped its second game of the day 3-2 against Towson in another pitcher’s dual. The teams combined for only six hits and three earned runs.
Quick Stats:
— Ohio won the first game, but lost the three final games of the invitational.
— The Bobcats allowed only 11 runs in four games, but also only scored eight.
— Ohio committed no errors in two games on Friday.
cl027410@ohiou.edu
