Tigers Split Pair of Games in Matchup with Muskingum
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
|
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0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 3 |
NEW CONCORD, OH - The Wittenberg Softball Tigers traveled to Muskingum to take on the Fighting Muskies for their last two games before the start of North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) play. Wittenberg was able to come away with the victory in game one by an 8-7 score but fell in game two, 8-1. After splitting the games against the perennial powerhouse Muskies, who are now 13-3, the Tigers moved to 9-7 on the season.
In game one, it only took until the second inning for the Tigers to get on the board. Kennedy Reed (Lewis Center, OH / Olentangy Orange) started the scoring in the top of the second inning with a two-RBI single, but the scoring didn't end there. Reed then scored on a double to left field from Gada Bryant (Westville, IL / Bismark-Henning) to increase the lead. Kayla Drake (Wilmington, OH / Clinton-Massie) then reached on an error to score Bryant, which was followed up by Bailey Nichols (Tucson, AZ / Sabino) reaching on another error later to score Drake. As the Tigers started moving station to station on the bases, Ava Cyphers (Dayton, OH / Vandalia Butler) blasted a double to drive in two runs and put the Tigers up, 7-0.
Muskingum started to answer in the fourth inning, cutting the Tiger lead to three. The Tigers added another run in the fifth, as Bryant reached on a throwing error, which led to Cyphers scoring to go up 8-4 and didn't look back. By the bottom of the sixth, Muskingum had the Tiger lead down to one, but Lilly James (Troy, OH / Troy) struck out the side to slam the door and get her fifth save of the season and secure the win for the Tigers.
The scoring started in the second inning in game two as well, but this time, Muskingum scored four and followed it up with another run in the third to go up 5-0. In the fourth, it appeared that Wittenberg would claw their way back, but their lone run was scored by Kirsten Wright (Springfield, OH / Kenton Ridge) on a double by Emma Lohri (Heath, OH / Newark Catholic) down the right field line. In the bottom of the inning Muskingum got another three runs across the plate before James entered the game and shut down the Fighting Muskies, without allowing a hit and striking out two batters over the last two innings, utimately ending game two with an 8-1 loss.
Up Next
The Tigers will begin conference play as they travel to Granville to take on the Denison Big Red in a doubleheader, with games beginning at 1 and 3 p.m.