Savannah Jo Dorsey picks up the most wins in program history Tuesday afternoon.
Home runs and Savannah Jo Dorsey strikeouts were the themes of the Ohio (22-13, 4-4 MAC) doubleheader sweep Tuesday afternoon against Kent State (22-12, 5-3 MAC).
In game two, roughly 30 minutes after going seven innings with 10 strikeouts and allowing one hit, Dorsey went seven more innings, allowed two runs off four hits and posted a 13:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
That performance, accompanied by a three-run home run from first baseman Casie Hutchinson and a solo home run from third baseman Mikayla Cooper, was enough for Ohio's second win of the day by a score of 4-2.
Dorsey's pair of wins were the 55th and 56th of her career, making her the new all-time winningest pitcher in Ohio softball history. The previous record holder was Emily Wethington with 55.
The wins not only brought Ohio back to .500 in conference play, but also brought Ohio within one game of Kent State in the Mid-American Conference East Division standings. Kent State entered the day tied for first with Miami.
"(These wins were) huge," coach Jodi Hermanek said. "For all the right reasons, Kent's got a great RPI and to get wins against a team like that, it's great for our program, for our ranking percentage and for ourselves."
In game one, before Ohio came up for its at bat in the fourth inning, there was one hit between Kent State and Ohio.
By the end of the inning, the scoreboard read 4-0 in favor of Ohio thanks to an RBI double from catcher Madison Claytor and a three-run home run from designated hitter Morgan Geno.
Hermanek said she prepared her team for Kent State attacking the outside part of the strike zone heading into the game. Geno took advantage of the scouting report.
"All week we were working on hitting (to the opposite field)," Geno said. "I just saw it and did what we've been practicing."
The four-run cushion was plenty for ace Dorsey, who continued her dominant season in a 4-1 Ohio win. She threw seven innings, striking out 10, and a lone solo home run from Kent State right fielder Bailey Brownfield was her only blemish on the scoreboard.
"Cushion is a huge help in this game," Dorsey said. "It helps me breathe easy sometimes. There's less pressure."
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Not only that, but the home run was the only hit she allowed in game one.
After a three-game sweep against Ball State over the weekend, Ohio was in a 2-4 hole in conference play. So Hermanek said it was predetermined for Dorsey to pitch the entirety of both games Tuesday.
After Dorsey's performance, (14 innings, three runs allowed on five hits, 23 strikeouts and three walks) Hermanek responded with "hands down," when asked if Dorsey was the best pitcher she's ever coached.
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