Rachel Ross Hurls No-Hitter, Blasts Homer As Tigers Sweep Hiram
On Strikeout Cancer day, the Wittenberg Tigers evened their NCAC record at 4-4 behind Rachel Ross, who did the job with her arm and her bat.
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
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3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 11 | 0 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
|
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1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | X | 9 | 11 | 5 |
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – Surrounded by alumni, fans and friends taking part in Wittenberg's annual Strikeout Cancer event, senior Rachel Ross (Westerville, Ohio/South) put on quite a show, powering the Tigers to a sweep of Hiram.
The wins, by margins of 9-1 and 9-5, boosted Wittenberg to 13-6 overall and 4-4 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), while putting the Tigers back in the thick of the chase for one of the four spots in the year-end conference tournament. Hiram fell to 8-18 overall and 2-6 in the NCAC.
In the opener, Ross twirled a gem, going all five innings in the pitcher's circle without yielding a single hit. It was Ross' second collegiate no-hitter, both coming in games limited to five innings by run rules.
Oddly, Ross did allow an earned run. She hit four batters in the game, including two in the fourth inning, in addition to a walk and then a sacrifice fly.
The Tiger offense pounced for three runs in the first inning and another in the second before putting an early end to things with a five-spot in the fifth. Freshman Loren Combs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) went 3-for-4 and scored two runs while playing exceptional defense at shortstop, including a tremendous back-handed play in the hole to preserve Ross' no-hitter in the fourth inning.
Freshman Aubrey Mendez (St. Louisville, Ohio/Utica) and junior Kaitie Harrison (Springfield, Ohio/Kenton Ridge) each drove in three runs, while junior Laura Rose (Riverside, Ohio/Stebbins) scored three times and stole two bases.
Ross took the ball in the nightcap as well, and she tossed another 4.2 innings, allowing four hits and one unearned run before giving way to freshman Kaela Hughes (Columbus, Ohio/Watterson). The two hurlers combined to overcome five Wittenberg errors in the game.
The Tigers scored one run in the first, six in the third and two more in the sixth, with Ross and Harrison providing the muscle in the form of key home runs. Hughes drove in a pair of runs, while Combs scored twice and recorded a pair of stolen bases.