No. 17 Softball opens season with two tight losses at NFCA Leadoff Classic
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Northern | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| Central (Iowa) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | X | 4 | 7 | 4 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piedmont (Ga.) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| Ohio Northern | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
Team Stats
Central (Iowa)
Piedmont (Ga.)
Ohio Northern
By Tim Glon
COLUMBUS, Ga. — The No. 17-ranked Ohio Northern softball team opened its 2013 season with a pair of tight losses at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Friday.
The Polar Bears (0-2) fell to No. 10-ranked Central (Iowa) 4-3 and to Piedmont (Ga.) 3-1.
In the first game, the Dutch (1-1) scored four times in the bottom of the fifth to rally from a 3-0 ONU lead.
Senior Ashley Sujkowski went 2-for-3 with a run scored to lead Ohio Northern.
Northern went up 1-0 in the top of the second when Sujkowski scored from second base on a fielder's choice ground out by sophomore Bree Hiteshew.
Sophomore Adriana Sikora led off the fourth frame with a double and later scored with sophomore Jamie Westkinkircher as Central committed three errors in the frame.
But the Dutch rallied for four runs on five hits in the bottom of the fifth to record the win.
In the nightcap, the Lions remained undefeated at 9-0 with the win.
Piedmont scored twice in the top of the first inning and added a single run in the top of the sixth to go up 3-0.
Northern got on the board in the bottom of the sixth to pull within 3-1.
The Polar Bears will wrap up pool play with a game against No. 24 East Texas Baptist, then will face a yet to be determined opponent in tournament play on Saturday.