Softball Splits With Oberlin to Earn Share of NCAC Title
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
|
|
0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 4 | 10 | 1 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
|
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
BEREA, OH – After dropping game one of a doubleheader, Wittenberg Softball battled back to pick up an important win in game two that secured the Tigers a share of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) crown on the road against Oberlin on Saturday, May 2, in a doubleheader played at Baldwin Wallace University.
In a tight race to the finish, Wittenberg lost game one, 4-3, then squeaked by in game two against the Yeowomen, tallying the 2-1 win in a pitcher's duel. With the win in their final regular season game, the Tigers tied DePauw in the NCAC, with both teams sporting an 11-3 conference record. The top four teams in the conference advance to the NCAC Tournament that will take place on May 7-9.
The Tigers took the tiebreaker over DePauw to earn the No. 1 seed and will therefore host the tournament at Betty Doughman Dillahunt Field. It will be a three-day, double-elimination tournament to determine the NCAC automatic qualifier to the NCAA Championships. Wittenberg will take on the fourth-seeded Kenyon at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, while the No. 2-seeded DePauw will face off against No. 3 Denison, beginning at 10 a.m.
It is the fourth overall title for Wittenberg, claiming the No. 1 spot in 2018, 2017, and 2000. DePauw, which shared the title last season with Denison, has the most NCAC titles out of all the conference teams, capturing 11 total, and now seven in a row.
Wittenberg finishes the regular season at 24-14 overall and 11-3 NCAC, while Oberlin is 17-18 and 4-9 NCAC.
Game one highlights included Kayla Drake (Wilmington, OH / Clinton-Massie) claiming two of the Tigers' six hits. Gada Bryant (Westville, IL / Bismarck-Henning, Bekah Giel (Amelia, OH / West Clermont), Meghan McCans (Arcanum, OH / Arcanum), and Kirsten Wright (Springfield, OH / Kenton Ridge) each landed the others. Ava Cyphers (Dayton, OH / Vandalia Butler), Drake, and Giel each had an RBI, and Bryant, Giel, and McCans each scored a run. Giel and Wright each had a double in game one. Bryant and McCans registered two stolen bases, while Drake and Giel each grabbed one.
In game two, each team tallied five hits in the pitcher's duel. Each team scored a run in the third inning, and the game stayed tied until the Tigers pushed across run No. 2 in the top of the sixth inning. McCans was 2-for-2 and scored both Witt runs. She also had three stolen bases in the game. Bryant and Giel were both 1-for-3 with an RBI, and Wright added the other Tiger hit.
Phoebe Underwood (Seymour, IN / Seymour) and Lilly James (Troy, OH / Troy) did the good work on the mound. Underwood went two innings, only giving up two hits and a walk to post her eighth win of the season. James collected her 10th save, pitching in five innings and giving up a run on three hits, while striking out nine.
Written By: Cindy Holbrook