Wilson racks up 6 RBIs, Softball opens OAC play with doubleheader split at Marietta

MARIETTA — The Ohio Northern softball team opened Ohio Athletic Conference play with a doubleheader split at Marietta on Saturday afternoon.

The Polar Bears opened with a 14-5 victory in game one and fell 8-7 in a close game two.

The Basics

• Records: Ohio Northern (7-11 Overall, 1-1 OAC), Marietta (10-8 Overall, 1-1 OAC).
• Venue: Jeanne Arbuckle Field — Marietta, Ohio.

Game 1 — W, 14-5

• Marietta opened the game with a run in the bottom of the first inning.
• In the top of the second, senior Kylie King (London/Jonathan Alder) hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game up 1-1.
• In the top of the third inning, sophomore Lillie Marker (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage) hit an RBI single and freshman Ellie Mason (New Philadelphia) hit a 2-RBI double to make the score 4-1.
• The Pioneers scored another run in the bottom of the third.
• In the fourth inning, the Polar Bears scored on an error, then senior Allie Wilson (Wapakoneta) cleared the bases with a 3-RBI double to extend their lead to 8-2.
• King scored on a fielder's choice in the fifth inning to add another run.
• Marietta knocked in a run in the fourth inning, then two more in the sixth.
• Marker, Mason and sophomore Clare Flory (Marcellus, Mich.) each hit an RBI single in the seventh inning, along with a 2-RBI double from Wilson.
• Wilson went 3-for-5 with 5 RBIs to lead the Polar Bears.
• Sophomore Avery Neth (Williamsburg) (3-2) got the win in the circle for Northern, pitching 5.0 innings and striking out four.
• ONU out-hit MC 19-7.

Game 2 — L, 7-8

• Marietta scored first with one run in the first inning.
• In the top of the second, Ray hit an RBI double to left field, then scored on a passed ball to give the Polar Bears a 2-1 lead.
• The Pioneers scored two more runs in the bottom of the second to reclaim the lead.
• In the top of the third, junior Alaina Baughn (Greenville) scored on a fielders choice, then freshman Molly Goudy (Hilliard/Darby) bunted to score Wilson to take a 4-3 lead.
• Marietta scored five runs in the bottom of the third to make the score 8-4.
• Junior Carlie Schroeder (Wapakoneta) hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth, then Mason and Wilson both hit RBI doubles to cut Marietta's lead to 8-7, but they could not complete the comeback.
• Schroeder went a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI to lead ONU.
• Freshman Natalie Gonzalez (San Diego, Calif./Bonita Vista) (2-2) took the loss in the circle for the Polar Bears.
• MC out-hit ONU 14-11.

Notables

• Wilson went 5-for-9 with 6 RBIs on the day to lead the Polar Bears.
• Ohio Northern is now 55-31 all-time against Marietta, including a 23-21 mark in Marietta.
• Mason leads the team in batting at .383, followed by Wilson (.359) and Ray (.333).
• Wilson is tied for 18th all-time at ONU with 143 career base hits and is 10th in doubles with 34.
• Wilson needs just one home run and two RBI to break into ONU's top-10 lists in those categories.
• Ohio Northern is in its 59th season of softball. The Polar Bears are 1,023-714-4 all-time, a winning percentage of .588.
• Head coach Summer Collins is in her second season at Ohio Northern with a 27-34 record.

Up Next

• The Polar Bears will return to action on Monday with a doubleheader at Alma (Mich.) at 3 p.m.