Wittenberg Sweeps NCAC Doubleheader Against Oberlin
The Wittenberg Tigers wrapped up the 2005 North Coast Athletic Conference schedule on a positive note Saturday, sweeping a pair of games against Oberlin College on Senior Day in Springfield. The Tigers topped the last-place Yeowomen by scores of 15-0 and 8-2 to finish 7-6 in the NCAC.
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers wrapped up the 2005 North Coast Athletic Conference schedule on a positive note Saturday, sweeping a pair of games against Oberlin College on Senior Day in Springfield. The Tigers topped the last-place Yeowomen by scores of 15-0 and 8-2 to finish 7-6 in the NCAC.
The sweep was the good part of the day. The bad news came later as Denison salvaged the second game of a doubleheader with Allegheny to gain the fourth and final spot in the NCAC Tournament next weekend. Wittenberg was the victim of bad luck in this case, finishing one-half game behind Denison due to a rainout at Kenyon earlier in the season. Wittenberg, which was leading that game, would have held the tiebreaker over the Big Red if the two teams had tied for fourth place at 8-6.
In Game 1, the Tigers came out swinging and buried the Yeowomen almost immediately. Three runs were scored in the first inning, six more in the second, one in the fourth and five scores in the fourth rounded things out. On the other hand, freshman Taryn Hensel was taking care of business in the pitchers' circle for the Tigers, scattering just three hits en route to a complete-game (five inning) victory.
Offensively, the Tigers had many standouts, starting with sophomore Erin Collinsworth, who went 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and her first collegiate home run. In addition, sophomore Stephanie Zorn added a 3-for-3 performance with three runs scored.
The second game didn't start with quite the same promise. Oberlin jumped on top with two runs in the top of the first inning against Tigers senior ace Norah Gillam. But she settled down, allowing just two more hits the rest of the game as she went the distance. Both first-inning runs were unearned.
The Tigers again had their hitting shoes on, pounding out 13 more hits, including three for senior Ashley Lands and two each for Zorn, Collinsworth and freshman Sarah Fetters. Zorn's five hits in seven plate appearances Saturday pushed her season batting average over the .400 mark.