Softball sweeps Owens
The Hocking College Softball team took on Owens College on Tuesday afternoon in an OCCAC matchup at the Hocking College Softball Complex and the Hawks came away with the sweep 10-0 and 17-4.
In Game 1 the Hawks bats were red hot in the bottom of the first inning. Freshmen Emily Hanes (Northridge HS) got things going with a base hit to center field. Sophomore Makayla Ball (Carrollton HS) laid down a bunt single and moved Hanes to second base. Sophomore Alessandra Mavilla (Bertolucci HS) followed that with a single to center field to load the bases. Sophomore catcher Carissa Wheeler (Unioto HS) ripped a double to center to score Hanes and Ball to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Kristen Stromack (Ashland HS) frew a walk to load the bases again and then sophomore Katie Hoffa (Triway HS) delivered the big blow of the inning with a bases clearing triple to right center to increase the Hawks lead to 5-0 and then scored on a passed ball to give the Hawks a 6-0 lead. Sophomore Chylece Cluck (Elmwood HS) then drew a walk, stole second and third and then scored when Freshmen Hannah Nicholson reached base on an error to give the Hawks a 7-0 lead. Nicholson went to second on a passed ball and moved to third on a ground out by Hanes. Ball came up for her second at bat and drew a walk and then took off for second. Her rundown allowed Nicholson to score and give the Hawks a commanding 8-0 leading after the first innings. In the bottom of the third inning, Cluck led things off with a double to left field and scored on a fielders choive by Hanes to increase the lead to 9-0. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Wheeler walked and moved to second on Hoffa's single to center and moved to third on a sac fly by Cluck. Freshmen Alexia Spangler (Howland HS) then ripped a single to right center that would score Wheeler and close out the scoing at 10-0. Hanes pitched a gem in the circle improving her record to 3-1, allowing just 2 hits while striking out five.
In Game 2 the bats were still hot as the Hawks as Ball walked and stole second and then came home on a double by Hanes. Hanes then scored on a base hit by Stromack. Freshmen Asalyn Stone (West Portsmouth HS) walked and Cluck reached by by error to load the bases. Sophomore Carah Mladek (Ridgewood HS) singled to score Stromack. Sophomore Lexie Wilkes (Federal Hocking HS) then drew a bases loaded walk to score Stone and give the Hawks a 4-0 lead after one inning of play. The Hawks would score run in the second on a bases loaded walk to stretch the lead to 5-0 after two innings of play. After giving up a run in the top of the third, the Hawks would come back and score two more in the bottom half all with two outs as Ball would reach by a Fielder's Choice. Hanes would hit a single to right to score Ball and Wheeler would hit a singles as well and Stromack would deliver with a single to right center to score Hanes to stretch to 7-1. The Express would rally for 3 runs in the fourth inning to close the gap to 7-4. The Hawks would explode 10 runs in the bottom of the fourth to increase the lead to 17-4. Wilkes started the game in the circle and Stromack would come on in relief during the fourth inning and strike out all 5 batters she faced in the fourth and fifth to get the win and improve her record to 4-2 on the season.
The Hawks return to action later today for a non conference match up with the Racers of University of Northwestern Ohio. Game time is set for 3 pm.