Major Two Out Rally Propels Tigers Past Denison, 6-1 & 10-2

GRANVILLE, Ohio—Tiger softball kept the ball rolling in the right direction in NCAC play over the weekend. As the weather finally warmed up, the Tigers managed to keep their cool against NCAC foe Denison. Wittenberg moved to 6-1 in NCAC play in a big way, defeating the Big Red on the road 6-1 and 10-2. Sophomore Chelsea Zang (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) moved to 12-3 overall in 2016 with two wins on the day. The righty hurler tossed 11.2 innings on the day, scattering 11 hits and two earned runs in both ends of the double-header. Wittenberg now sits 23-4-1 overall in 2016, with a stellar 7-1 record in NCAC play.

GAME ONE NOTES

• The Tigers set the tone for the day, plating three early runs in the first inning Saturday in Granville.  
• Rachel Black (Avon, Indiana/Avon) doubled in a run, followed by Casey Hobbs (Fairborn, Ohio/Carroll) scoring on a passed ball, and finally Shannon Lance (Loveland, Ohio/Kings) knocking an RBI single, making the score 3-0.  
• The Tigers would not score again until the fourth, when Lauren Buelow (Hilliard, Ohio/Darby) tripled to deep center, plating a run, making the score 4-0.  
• Denison's lone run in the game came in the bottom of the seventh inning, as the final out was recorded with the Tigers up 6-1.

GAME TWO NOTES

• Wittenberg found themselves in a close game in the third inning, up only 2-1 after being shutout until the top of the frame.
• In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Big Red plated a run to match the Tigers, and the game, at 2-2.
• Wittenberg let the flood-gates open in the top of the sixth, miraculously plating eight consecutive runs, all with two outs, in the innings.
• After Hobbs reached first base on a dropped third strike that got passed Denison's catcher, scoring Loren Combs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin), the next seven Tigers that walked up to the plate recorded hits, resulting in seven more runs for the Tigers.
• The Tigers took care of business in the bottom of the sixth, as the game ended 10-2 in six innings due to the run rule.

KEY STATS

• Abby Baker (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) came up big for Wittenberg in the NCAC sweep of Denison, smashing four hits and plating three RBI's for the red and white.
• The Tiger offense exploded for 25 hits on Saturday, five of which went for extra base hits.
• 65 batters came to the plate on Saturday, as only seven were sent down on strikes for the Tigers offense.
• Zang hurled 133 pitches between the two games on Saturday, 71% of which were strikes.

UP NEXT

• The Tigers take their 23-4-1 record into DePauw on April 20, as first pitch of the NCAC double-header is set for 4:00PM in Greencastle.

Written By: Kuris Duggan