WINNING STREAK EXTENDS TO FOUR WITH DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP OF CALUMET

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – The Olivet Nazarene University softball team extended its winning streak to four games as they pulled off their second-consecutive CCAC doubleheader sweep Saturday afternoon at Tiger Field. The Tigers handled the Calumet Crimson Wave by scores of 14-9 and 5-2.

Offense was on full display in the opener, with the two teams combining for 27 hits in the contest. The game got off to an auspicious start when the Crimson Wave (8-27, 1-9 CCAC) put up four runs on four hits in the top of the first to take a commanding early lead. But the Tigers responded with two runs in their half of the first thanks to an RBI groundout from Mallory O'Connor and an errant throw by Calumet's first baseman that allowed Carissa Bombardiere to wheel home.

The Tigers went on to score runs across the next three frames to take a commanding 12-7 lead, highlighted by a crooked six-run fourth inning that put the game out of reach. Four Tigers recorded an RBI in the big inning, all coming in consecutive order on singles to take the momentum.

Mallory O'Connor plated four RBIs and Zoe Oshiro scored four runs to lead the offense. They were also two of four Tigers to record a multi-hit game alongside Margaret Landis and Vannah Vaughan. Olivia Flinn picked up the win in relief, pitching 4.1 innings while only allowing three earned runs on six hits to pick up her fifth win of the season.

ONU got all the runs they would need in the very first inning of the nightcap, putting up five runs on the scoreboard to glide to victory. Oshiro kicked off the big inning with a leadoff homer over the wall in right field. O'Connor extended the lead to two with her fifth RBI of the day before Gwen Bender capped off the inning with an RBI double. She later scored on an error to make it 5-0 Tigers after the first.

The Purple & Yellow Gold did not put any more runs on the board after the first inning, but it didn't matter as Allie Timm shut down the Crimson Wave at the plate. The junior right-hander went the distance as the ONU starter, allowing just two earned runs on seven hits and striking out a pair.

The Tigers will close out the regular season on the road, traveling to IUSB Wednesday before closing out the year at Saint Xavier Saturday.

--ONU—

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