TIGERS SPLIT PENULTIMATE DOUBLEHEADER WITH IU SOUTH BEND

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Olivet Nazarene University softball team picked up a split in their penultimate doubleheader Wednesday afternoon against Indiana South Bend. The Tigers rallied late for a dominant 9-1 win in the opener before suffering a 5-1 setback in the nightcap.

It was a pitcher's duel in the early goings of game one, with neither team scoring a run through the first four frames. Zoe Oshiro broke the scoreless tie with a solo home run in the fifth inning, marking her second home run in as many games. This opened the floodgates as the Tigers punched out eight more runs to take a commanding lead.

Margaret Landis and Mallory O'Connor kept the fifth rolling with back-to-back RBI singles. In the sixth inning, Faith Mikos wheeled home on an error before Carissa Bombardiere lifted an RBI single to center field to make it a five-run lead. Gwen Bender then launched an RBI double to left field, Stephanie Hause plated two with a single, and Vannah Vaughan capped the scoring with an RBI groundout.

Allie Timm shut down the Titans at the plate, going the distance on eight hits and three strikeouts. She kept IU South Bend off the scoreboard until the final inning to pick up her seventh win of the season.

The hot offense failed to carry over into the second game. After Indiana South Bend (13-28, 7-9 CCAC) struck first in the opening frame, Oshiro tied the game when she scampered home on a wild pitch. That would be the only run the Tigers would score in the nightcap, however, as the Titans ran away with the game.

The Purple & Yellow Gold will wrap the regular season with a doubleheader at Saint Xavier Saturday. 

--ONU—

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