Softball Takes Down No. 20 Rowan, 3-2, and Carroll, 4-2, to Complete Florida Trip

WINTER HAVEN, FL – Wittenberg Softball added two more marks in the win column on Friday, March 13, to end its Spring Break trip on a good note, first taking down the No. 20^th-ranked Rowan, 3-2, and then defeating Carroll, 4-2, on the last day of The Spring Games at DiamondPlex in Winter Haven, Florida.

Wittenberg was not afraid of the Profs, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning after three scoreless innings of softball. Rowan, coming off its third straight appearance in the Division III World Series last season, outhit the Tigers, 9-5, including two doubles, but the Profs could not get a run across the plate until the seventh inning, leaving nine on base.

The Tigers struck first with one out in the bottom of the fourth when Gada Bryant (Westville, IL / Bismarck-Henning) singled up the middle and advanced to second after Kayla Drake (Wilmington, OH / Clinton-Massie) was hit by a pitch. Kirsten Wright (Springfield, OH / Kenton Ridge) then singled to the left side, scoring Bryant. Wright advanced to second on the throw, while Drake advanced to third.

Kortnie Ganshorn (Galion, OH / Galion) pinch ran for Drake and came around to score on another single to the left side by Rowan Goodpasture (Wabash, IN / Southwood). She advanced to second on the throw, while Wright advanced to third. One out later, Bailey Nichols (Tucson, AZ / Sabino) singled to the right side to bring in Wright. The Tigers scored three runs on four hits in the inning.

Tiger pitchers blanked the Profs through six innings but got a scare in the seventh, allowing two runs to cross the plate. Lilly James (Troy, OH / Troy) was able to shut them down, earn a save, and hold onto the Tiger win, 3-2.

Julie Hall (Powell, OH / Bishop Watterson) tallied the win to even her record at 1-1 on the season. She went four innings and allowed just four hits, two walks, and had a strikeout. Lilly Shaw (Washington Courthouse, OH / Washington) came on in the fifth, went two innings and allowed one run on three hits, while striking out three. James allowed one run on two hits and recorded a strikeout.

Bryant, Goodpasture, McCans, Nichols, and Wright all had a hit in the game, while Goodpasture, Nichols, and Wright each had an RBI. Bryant, Ganshorn and Wright scored the Tiger runs. McCans and Ava Cyphers (Dayton, OH / Vandalia Butler) each had a stolen base. The Wittenberg win ended Rowan's three-game winning streak as the Profs fell to 4-3 on the season.

Four runs were enough for the Tigers to capture their second win of the day as their pitching staff continued to keep batters off stride. In three innings of work, Phoebe Underwood (Seymour, IN / Seymour) allowed two runs on three hits, while striking out one, and Lilly James (Troy, OH / Troy) worked four innings, giving up two hits, while fanning three. Underwood is now 2-2 on the season.

Wittenberg scored one in the first, two in the second, then added an insurance run in the seventh to claim the victory on nine hits. Carroll's two runs crossed the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning.

McCans was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Wright was 2-for-2 with an RBI. Others who got in on the hit parade included Bryant, Cyphers, Drake, Giel, and Nichols, each with one hit. Bryant and Shyann Beddow (Kearns, UT / Kearns) had the team's other RBIs and Giel and Nichols scored the other two runs. Drake, Giel, McCans, and Nichols also had a stolen base.

With the two wins on the day, Wittenberg improves to 7-3 overall. Carroll is 9-7.

Up Next

Wittenberg will travel to Ohio Northern for the ONU Invitational, March 21-22. The Tigers will play Hope at noon and Alma at 6 p.m. on March 21 and Alma again at noon and Ohio Northern at 4 p.m. on March 22.

Written By: Cindy Holbrook