Springfield, Ohio. - The #2 DePauw Tigers topped #4 Kenyon in the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament, 7-5, sending home the Owls with their second loss of the day. With the win, the Tigers improved their record to 25-15 on the season and extended their performance in the conference tournament.
Starting on the offensive half of the ball, Libby Minobe and Kelsey Schneider each tallied a single to shortstop and stole second before scoring off a single to left center delivered by Eliza Rammel. With an early 2-0 lead, the Tigers were aggressive at the plate notching five singles, three stolen bases, and a sacrifice bunt to drive home another run from Rammel to finish the top of the first, 3-0 Tigers. Five runs in one innings matches the number of hits tallied in the previous game against Denison.
Izzy Deveau started in the circle for the Tigers, giving away one run in the first off a triple to right field and ground out to drive home the base runner. Kelsey Schneider tallied two outs in the inning, one grounder and one pop up.
Heading into the second, Avery Welsh led off with a single through the right side before Minobe laid down the perfect bunt to add another base runner for the Tigers. Two batters later, Alex Romero-Salas singled up the middle to claim two runs batted in. Romero-Salas was left stranded after a pop up to end the batting up 5-1.
As the Owls approached the plate, Romero-Salas pitched three fly outs but allowed two hits to drive home another run for Kenyon.
The Tigers went scoreless in the third, highlighted by Ella Ohrvall laying down a bunt to get on first before stealing second and advancing to third on a throwing error made by the catcher.
In the bottom of the 3rd, Deveau walked a batter who advanced to second on a passed ball but made up for it with three back to back strike outs, two looking and one swinging.
The Tigers and Owls stood as a standstill in the 4th, neither tallying a run but both leaving one on base. Kenyon grounded out twice and popped up to first for the last out. DePauw flew out to center field and tallied two ground outs.
With renewed energy, the Owls fought back in the 5th singling to right field to gain a runner before knocking a double to right. A fielder's choice moved the runners and a sacrifice fly out to left field drove home the Owls second run of the inning, making the score 5-4 trailing the Tigers by one.
Heading in the sixth, the Tigers rallied. Hanna Coffel set the tone with a solid single to right field and stolen base. Avery Welsh followed suit and notched one passed first for another single to right field, advancing Coffel to third. Quick change of pitchers for the Owls and Minobe drew a catcher's inference while toeing the back of the box and knocking off the catcher's glove while going for the pitch. With runners on the corners, Kendall Hynes went in to pinch hit for Schneider and wasted no time knocking the first pitch through the right side to bring home two more runs for the Tigers.
Trailing by three, Kenyon struggled to gain footing in the bottom of the 6th as DePauw put Romero-Salas into the circle, drawing a strike out and two ground outs including a short grounder to the pitcher.
Closing out the game, the Tigers went 0-3 at the plate with two fly balls to left field and a grounder to second. Back on defense, DePauw allowed two hits and one run before closing out game four of the conference championship tournament, 7-5, sending home the Owls.
Izzy Deveau improved to 11-5 with the win, while Kylie Hamm dropped to 9-8 in the circle.
Five different Tigers collected two hits while Paige Brady was left of base three times. The Owls tallied eight hits in the game, including two doubles and a triple. DePauw went 14-32 at the plate and left seven on base while Kenyon went 8-29 and left five on base.
This win extends DePauw's win streak against Kenyon to 18 games, a match up history with only two losses to the Owls.
DePauw returns to take on the loser of game three of the NCAC Tournament on Friday, May 8th at 11:00 a.m. in Springfield, Ohio.
