TIGERS OPEN 2024 CAMPAIGN AT ROSEMONT DOME TOURNAMENT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Olivet Nazarene University softball team got its 2024 season underway with four games at the Rosemont Dome Tournament this weekend. Playing against some of the NAIA's top teams in the region, the Tigers were competitive all weekend but were unable to pick up a win on the trip.

The Tigers had their best chance at a win in their game against Oakland City. Trailing 3-0 heading into the top of the sixth, Zoe Oshiro drew a two-out walk and was promptly moved over to third base on a Tatum Reddy single. Oshiro then scampered home on a wild pitch to get the Tigers on the board but that would prove to be their only run in the 4-1 defeat.

Despite the final outcomes, ONU was able to put some offense together in their matchups against Concordia (Mich.) and William Penn, scattering eight hits in both contests and piecing together multi-run innings in each game.

In the season opener against Concordia, the Tigers hit around the lineup to put up four runs in their half of the fifth inning. Avery Osborn, Carissa Bombardiere, and Margaret Landis rattled off three hits in a row to load the bases. Osborn scored on a wild pitch before Stephanie Hause notched an RBI fielder's choice to score Bombardiere. Mallory O'Connor, the reigning CCAC Freshman of the Year, then cleared the bases with a two-RBI single to round out the strong inning.

The Tigers put up a fight in the final frame of the tournament finale against WPU, scoring three runs on three hits in the seventh inning. Kahiwa Ili roped a two-RBI triple to right center to get the Tigers on the board before getting plated by O'Connor on RBI groundout.

The Purple and Yellow Gold will look to pick up their first win of the year with a doubleheader at Indiana Tech Wednesday, Feb. 14 starting at 1 p.m. CST.

--ONU—

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