TIGERS SPLIT A PAIR OF GAMES IN FOURTH DAY OF TUCSON INVITATIONAL

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Olivet Nazarene University softball team played their ninth and tenth games of the week, taking a split in day four of the Tucson Invitational. Two big innings lifted ONU past York (Neb.) before falling to Indiana Wesleyan, the No. 2 team in the NAIA national rankings.

Game One: Olivet Nazarene 9, York (Neb.) 3

A five-spot second inning helped ONU take down York (Neb.) in the first tilt of the day. The Purple and Yellow Gold sent out five hits with three different Tigers moving runners across the plate with RBIs in the inning.

Avery Osborn broke the scoreless tie in the top of the second with a two-run blast over the wall in left field. Margaret Landis then laid down a bunt single before Faith Mikos rocked a double to right that allowed Landis to wheel around the bases. Haley Dobson put the finishing touches on the big inning with a 2-RBI double to put ONU up big early.

The Tigers weren't done there, adding four more runs in the following frame. ONU quickly loaded the bases before Mikos tabbed her second RBI of the day by getting hit by a pitch. In the next at-bat, Kate Landis lifted a 2-RBI single to center. Allie Timm hit a groundout RBI to put the Tigers' ninth run on the board.

The Panthers (7-6) were able to plate three runs in the closing innings, but it wasn't enough to get past the early offense of the Tigers. ONU tallied 13 hits in the game, with Mikos, Carissa Bombardiere, Osborn, and Margaret Landis each racking up multiple hits.

Kori Fricke went the distance as the starter for ONU, picking up the win on seven hits and three runs while striking out four.

Game Two: No. 2 Indiana Wesleyan 10, Olivet Nazarene 4

The Tigers had trouble keeping up with the No. 2 Indiana Wildcats in a 10-4 loss to close out the games on day four of the Tucson Invitational.

After the Wildcats (10-2) picked up the early lead in the second inning, the Tigers retaliated with two runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead. Kate Landis dropped a bunt that allowed the speedy Osborn to wheel home from third base. In the next at-bat, Mallory O'Connor gave ONU the lead when she lifted an RBI single to right field.

But this was when the Indiana Wesleyan bats started to heat up. The Wildcats sent out eight hits and scored nine runs over the final four frames to roll to the win.

Mikos, Kate Landis, and O'Connor all notched RBIs. Timm was credited with the loss.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Tigers will wrap up their appearance in the Tucson Invitational with two final games tomorrow. ONU will square off against Concordia (Neb.) at 10 a.m. CST before taking on Jamestown Jimmies at 12 p.m. CST.

--ONU—

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