Delaware, Ohio- Extending its win streak to three, the DePauw softball team improved to 10-2 in NCAC play after sweeping a doubleheader at Ohio Wesleyan by scores 2-1, 9-1. The Tigers improve to 15-18 overall, while the Battling Bishops drop to 12-18 overall and 7-5 in conference play.
It took four innings before either team found its way onto the board in the opener. Ohio Wesleyan knocked in its lone run of game one after Sophia Cegledy doubled to left, bringing home Avery Panozzo for a Battling Bishop 1-0 lead.
The Tigers immediately answered in the top of the fifth, with two outs and runners on second and third;
Alyssa Anderson punched a single down the right field line and advanced on a throwing error to second. Anderson's single gave just enough time for
Madi Lockridgeand
Ella Kuenster to score and put DePauw up 2-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
DePauw would finish the game, giving up just two hits and committing one error across three halves of an inning to win the game 2-1.
Abby Pyburn,
Katie Mathies,
Emily Timberman, Kuenster, and Anderson each recorded one of DePauw's five hits of the day. For Ohio Wesleyan, Alyssa Back, Cegledy, and Tylee Anspach recorded one of Battling Bishops' three hits of the afternoon.
Megan Asher earned the win and improved to 8-9, while Ohio Wesleyan's Katie Chittum dropped to 8-10.
In game two, DePauw jumped to a quick 3-0 lead after Mathies stepped up to bat with two outs and doubled to right field to score
Lily Jennings. Timberman then drove in Mathies with a single up the middle to put the Tigers up 2-0.
Macey Cox came in to pinch run for Timberman and managed to steal second and advance to third off a throwing error. With a runner on third and still an out remaining, Anderson drove in Cox with a single through the middle.
In the bottom of the third, Ohio Wesleyan capitalized on the Tigers' four errors, resulting in the Battling Bishops loading the bases and Holupka scoring off an error at home. Fortunately for DePauw, the error at home did, however, lead to Panozzo getting picked off at second for our number two. The Tigers would finish out the inning after Back was called out at second.
The Tigers' lead exploded in the top of the sixth.
Drew Bratcher kicked off DePauw's four-run inning with a double to center field, recording one of the three hits across the inning. A combination of well-placed hits, timely base running, and two errors by the Battling Bishops allowed The Tiger to take a 7-1 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth.
Blanking Ohio Wesleyan in the bottom half of the sixth, DePauw added their final two runs in the seventh, as Bratcher homered to right center for an 8-1 lead.
Caelan Moran stepped to the plate to pinch hit for
Riley Heim and reached off a fielding error by the Battling Bishops center fielder. Moran would advance to second before Heim took her spot on second.
Ashtyn Barnett would knock in the last run of the night for the Tigers off a double to left field, bringing in Heim for the 9-1 lead.
The Battling Bishops had just one more half inning to stop a Tigers sweep, but the defensive efforts by DePauw allowed just one hit and one left on to close out its series against Ohio Wesleyan.
Bratcher and Mathies each had two of DePauw's 13 hits, with Mathies driving in two. For Ohio Wesleyan Panozzo, Cegledy, Rylie Moore, Sophie Leohner, and McKenna Tuttle each tallied one of the Battling Bishops' five hits in game two.
Kersten Brayton earned the win and improved to 5-3, while Ohio Wesleyan's Chittum dropped to 8-11.
DePauw returns to action on Saturday, April 29, for its senior day doubleheader against Denison. Game one between the Tigers and the Big Red is set to start at 1 p.m.
