Tigers Pull Out Doubleheader Sweep of Allegheny
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - They did it the hard way, but when the dust had settled on a cool spring afternoon at Betty Dillahunt Field the Wittenberg Tigers had themselves a doubleheader sweep over visiting Allegheny. The Tigers, needing desperately to bounce back after losing a pair against Ohio Wesleyan to open North Coast Athletic Conference play on Wednesday, captured a pair of one-run victories against the Gators by 5-4 and 3-2 counts.
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - They did it the hard way, but when the dust had settled on a cool spring afternoon at Betty Dillahunt Field the Wittenberg Tigers had themselves a doubleheader sweep over visiting Allegheny. The Tigers, needing desperately to bounce back after losing a pair against Ohio Wesleyan to open North Coast Athletic Conference play on Wednesday, captured a pair of one-run victories against the Gators by 5-4 and 3-2 counts.
The wins evened Wittenberg's record at 12-12 overall and 2-2 in the NCAC. After a rescheduled nonconference tilt against Wilmington on Monday, the Tigers get right back into things with a crucial doubleheader at Denison, one of the preseason favorites, on Wednesday.
The opener went extra innings on Saturday, but only after the Tigers staged a clutch comeback. After taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning thanks to an error by the Gators, Wittenberg fell behind 4-1 by the fifth inning. After walking in the fourth run, sophomore Taryn Hensel settled down to put together perhaps her best pitching performance of the 2006 season, allowing just one more hit through 3.1 sterling innings of relief.
That gave the Tigers an opportunity to rally, starting with three runs in the bottom of the fifth on RBI hits by junior shortstop Stephanie Zorn and sophomore outfielder Nicole Ottavi. Zorn drove in the game-winner in the bottom of the eighth as well, doubling to right center to score sophomore Sarah Fetters, who had gotten a rally started with a one-out single.
The second game belonged to freshman pitcher Rachael Hatcher, who has clearly emerged as the Tigers' ace. She went the distance, allowing six hits, no walks and two earned runs. Four Allegheny errors, on top of five in the first game, were the other key to the Wittenberg victory as the winning run was scored by freshman Erin Meredith. Pinch-running for Hatcher after a two-out single in the bottom of the sixth, Meredith stole second base and third base and scored when the throw on the second attempt sailed into the outfield.
Fetters had a big day, finishing 5-of-7 in the two games from her leadoff spot. The rest of the offense was well spread out.