ONU OPENS 2023 CAMPAIGN WITH SPLIT ON DAY ONE OF ROSEMONT TOURNEY

ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Olivet Nazarene University softball team kicked off their 2023 schedule with a split on day one of the Rosemont Tournament, hosted by Roosevelt University. After falling 5-4 to Madonna in the opener, the Tigers bounced back with a six-inning 10-2 win over Kentucky Christian.

Game One: Madonna 5, Olivet Nazarene 4

Haley Dobson got the Tigers up early, roping in an RBI in the top of the first to give ONU an early lead. Zoe Oshiro, Kate Landis, and Allie Timm all drew walks to load the bases before Dobson smacked a single through the left side to put the Tigers on top.

Oshiro lifted a sac fly that brought home Faith Mikos to put ONU up two in the second before starting pitcher Kori Fricke belted a two-run homer in the top of the third to put the Tigers up 4-0.

The Tigers led 4-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh until the Crusaders were able to find their rhythm at the plate. Madonna sent out four hits and scored the three necessary runs to walk off the game and hand the Tigers their first loss of the season.

Fricke went six innings, scattering nine hits and giving up five earned runs while twirling two strikeouts. Dobson lifted three hits while Mikos sent out two.

Game Two: Olivet Nazarene 10, Kentucky Christian 2

After surrendering a run to the Knights in the top of the first, the Tigers responded with three of their own in their half of the opening inning to take the lead. Mallory O'Connor drew an RBI walk before a Fricke single scored two to put ONU in front 3-1.

The Knights scored their final run of the game in the top of the third to cut the lead to one, but an RBI double from Timm put ONU back up by two.

From there it was all Tigers. ONU put up five runs across the fourth and fifth innings, with O'Connor picking up three more RBIs over the two frames. In the bottom of the sixth, an RBI groundout from Oshiro put the Tigers up 10-2, ending the game via mercy rule.

Timm picked up the complete game win, going six innings on 10 hits and two earned runs. She struck out three along the way and picked up two RBIs on the other side of the ball. O'Connor led the offense with four RBIs. Fricke tabbed two RBIs and Oshiro added one.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Tigers will play two games on day two of the Rosemont Tournament tomorrow, taking on Aquinas at 1:30 p.m. CST before squaring off against Concordia (Mich.) at 8:15 p.m. CST.

--ONU—

*Contact: Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu