Softball falls to Westminster (Pa.) and Aurora (Ill.) on penultimate day of spring break trip

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The Ohio Northern softball team continued its spring break trip with losses to Westminster (Pa.) and Aurora (Ill.) on Thursday morning.

The Polar Bears opened the day with a 3-2 loss to Westminster (Pa.) and wrapped up the day with a 7-4 loss to Aurora (Ill.)

The Basics

• Records: Ohio Northern (3-5 Overall), Westminster (3-4 Overall), Aurora (4-3 Overall).
• Venue: Fortune Road — Kissimmee, Fla.

Westminster Game - L, 2-3

• Ohio Northern got out to a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
• Freshman Ellie Mason (New Philadelphia) singled up the middle to score freshman Alexa Ray (Worthington/Bishop Watterson).
• Mason then scored off an error by the left fielder.
• The Titans scored one run in the top of the second to make the score 2-1.
• Westminster then scored two more runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 3-2 lead, and the Polar Bears couldn't answer.
• Freshman Sydney Freiberg (Yorkville, Ill.) (0-1) started in the circle for the Polar Bears.
• Sophomore Avery Neth (Williamsburg) pitched 2.0 no-hit innings and struck out three to end the game.
• WC out-hit ONU 6-3.

Aurora Game - L, 4-7

• Aurora scored a run in the first and second innings and hit a 2-run homer in the third inning to take a 4-0 lead.
• In the top of the fourth, junior Carlie Schroeder (Wapakoneta) singled to center field to score sophomore Maggie Arno (Williamsburg).
• Then in the sixth inning, senior Kylie King (London/Jonathan Alder) hit an RBI single up the middle to score freshman Natalie Gonzalez (San Diego, Calif./Bonita Vista).
• Sophomore Mackenzie Hannahs (Alexandria/Northridge) then hit a single down the right field line to score King and cut Aurora's lead to 4-3.
• The Spartans scored three more runsin the bottom of the sixth inning to extend their lead to 7-3.
• Gonzalez singled up the middle to score Mason in the top of the seventh, but could not complete a comeback.
• Neth (1-1) started in the circle for the Polar Bears.
• Freshman Brooklyn Osterloh (Minster) pitched five innings and recorded two strikeouts.
• Gonzalez went 2-for-2 with one RBI and one run to lead the Polar Bears.
• ONU out-hit AU 11-10.

Notables

• The Polar Bears are slated to play 10 games this week in The Spring Games tournament.
• Ohio Northern is now 1-3 all-time against Westminster (Pa.) and 1-3 all-time against Aurora (Ill.)
• Freshman Alexa Ray (Worthington/Bishop Watterson) leads the team with a .375 batting average and nine hits through eight games this season.
• Senior Allie Wilson (Wapakoneta) is tied for 25th all-time at ONU with 131 career base hits.
• Wilson needs just one home run and 8 RBIs to break into ONU's top-10 lists in those categories.
• Ohio Northern is in its 59th season of softball. The Polar Bears are 1,019-708-4 all-time, a winning percentage of .589.
• Head coach Summer Collins is in her second season at Ohio Northern with a 23-28 record.

Up Next

• The Polar Bears will return to action Friday morning with games against Pittsburgh-Greensburg (Pa.) at 11:15 a.m. and Wisconsin-Stout at 1:30 p.m.