Freshman Gabby Stewart leads Softball in double header sweep of OAC-foe Marietta
By Caleb Scott
ADA -- Freshman Gabby Stewart (Union, Ky./St. Henry) led the Ohio Northern softball team as it swept OAC-foe Marietta in double header action on Friday afternoon at the ONU Softball Field.
The Polar Bears improve to 15-1 overall, extend their winning streak to 12 games and move to 2-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference, while the Pioneers fall to 6-12, 0-2.
Stewart and junior Anna Martin (Huntsburg/Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin) were perfect from the plate in the first contest as Stewart went 3-for-3 and added four RBI and a run scored and Martin was 2-for-2 with one RBI and three runs scored.
Stewart was a combined 5-for-7 from the plate, while racking up six RBI and a run scored on the afternoon.
In the first contest, sophomore Hailee Loughman (Brookville) hit a bases load single to center field to plate Martin and give ONU an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
After the Pioneers answered with a run in the top of the second, Northern opened the contest up with seven runs in the bottom of the second inning.
With the bases loaded, Stewart hit a 3-RBI double and scored Martin, junior Jenna Hollar (Lima/Bath) and sophomore Laura Houtz Burden (Pleasant Hill/Newton) to push the lead to 4-1.
On the ensuing at bat, sophomore Leanna Henry (West Jefferson) hit a double to center field to score Stewart and push the lead to 5-1.
After Loughman was walked, junior Gia Saturday (Ashtabula/Edgewood) blasted her second home run in as many games over the center field fence to extend the gap to 8-1.
In the bottom of the third inning, Northern added two insurance runs as Martin and Stewart each hit RBI singles to seal the 10-1 victory.
Junior Kirsten Lightel (Tallmadge) earned the victory in the first contest and improved to a perfect 8-0 onthe year as she fanned six batters.
In the second contest, Northern got on the board early once again as Stewart got an RBI ground out and plated Martin to give Northern a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Northern scored two more in the bottom of the third inning as Hollar and Martin each scored.
Martin and Stewart would each single in the bottom of the fifth to seal the 5-0 victory.
Sophomore Kaitlinn Surdej (Lancaster/Central) earned the victory in the circle for ONU and improved her record to 7-1.
Northern will return to action Mar. 28 as they travel to area-rival Bluffton and take on the Beavers in double header action with the first pitch at 3 p.m.
