Softball pounds out 25 hits in 5-1, 10-1 sweep of Otterbein

By Tim Glon

ADA -- Ohio Northern pounded out 25 hits and got a 2-run home run from senior Cassie Gaye to post an Ohio Athletic Conference softball sweep of Otterbein Saturday afternoon at the ONU Softball Field.

Northern won the opener 5-1 and won the nightcap 10-1 in five innings.

The Polar Bears improve to 15-5 overall and 6-0 in OAC play, while the Cardinals fall to 17-7,4-2.

In Game 1, Northern got off to a quick start, scoring four times in the bottom of the first inning, keyed by the home run from Gaye.

Sophomore Christin Miller started the rally by scoring on a ground ball by senior All-American Jackie Mangola to put ONU on top 1-0.

Freshman Kelly Sheridan then scored on a throwing error by the OU shortstop to make it 2-0 and Gaye followed with her long ball to give ONU an early 4-0 lead.

Northern extended its lead in the bottom of the fourth when Mangola blooped a two-out, RBI single to center to score Sheridan and make it a 5-0 game.

Junior Abbey Bensing made the lead stand up, allowing just five hits in a complete game victory to improve to 6-3 on the season.

In Game 2, Northern got off to another quick start, scoring twice in the bottom of the first.

Miller led off the game with a double and Sheridan followed with a single and both runners came home to score.

In the bottom of the second, senior All-American Kimi Blewett singled home freshman pinch-runner Holly Evans to put Northern up 3-0.

Leading 3-1 in the bottom of the third, freshman Jamie Westinkirchner beat a throw home on a two-out infield single by Miller to give ONU a 4-1 advantage.

Sheridan followed with a 2-run double to left and the Polar Bears were up 6-1.

ONU scored four more times in the bottom of the fourth to put the game away.

Senior Katie Cretin singled home junior Ashley Sujkowski to open the rally and give the home team a 7-1 lead.

Gaye then scored on a ground out by junior Michelle Sweet and Miller followed with a 2-run triple to deep right field and it was 10-1 ONU.

Junior Katy Newman improved to 6-2 on the mound with the complete game victory for Ohio Northern.

The game was called after five innings due to the NCAA's 8-run rule.

The Polar Bears will return to action on Wednesday with a double header at Heidelberg.