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Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Schedule

COLUMBUS – The Capital University softball team clinched its first Ohio Athletic Conference regular season championship since 2002 Saturday with a doubleheader sweep over local rival Otterbein at Clowson Field.

The Crusaders (32-8 overall, 16-2 OAC) wrapped up at least a share of the title with their 5-0 victory in the first game. Capital earned the crown outright when second-place John Carroll was defeated 2-1 in its first game against Heidelberg.

The Crusaders downed the Cardinals (17-17, 5-11) by a 3-2 count in the second game to extend their winning streak to 15 games heading into postseason play.

Prior to playing in their final home regular season game, seniors Katie Neely (Sugar Grove, Ohio), Devan Boggs (West Jefferson, Ohio) and Lexi Majoy (Huron, Ohio) were recognized for their achievements and contributions over the last four years before the start of Game 2. Senior student manager Brooke Apple (Delphos, Ohio) was also honored for her five years of service.

Capital, which is ranked second in the latest NCAA Central Region rankings, will be the top seed and host of the OAC Tournament, which begins with games this Friday at Clowson Field.

The Crusaders' first contest will be at noon on Friday against No. 4 seeded Marietta. Second-seeded John Carroll and No. 3 Mount Union lead off tournament play with a game at 10 a.m. The championship is in double elimination format, and the winner of the tournament earns the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

In the opener Saturday, sophomore pitcher Brooke Billings (Clyde, Ohio) tossed her fifth shutout of the season to improve to 15-4. Billings allowed just four hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out three.

Sophomore left fielder LeAnna Cotton (Okeechobee, Fla.) put Capital on the board in the bottom of the second, crushing a deep home run, her sixth of the season, out to left field. Neely plated another run later in the inning on a groundout to short.

The Crusaders added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth on consecutive run-scoring singles by sophomore Kelsey Swain (Pickerington, Ohio) and Majoy, who scored a pair with her base hit to left center.

In the second game, Capital trailed 2-0 but responded with three unanswered runs, including two in the bottom of the second and one in the third.

Boggs knocked her 12th double of the season in the second, plating freshman third baseman Katlyn Simpson (Loudonville, Ohio) and Neely with two outs in the frame. Cotton added a run-scoring groundout in the next inning.

Sophomore pitcher Alyssa Patznick (Newark, Ohio) struck out six and scattered six hits for her team-leading 17th win of the campaign. She stranded 10 Otterbein runners during the contest, pitching out of trouble on multiple occasions.

Prior to the game, the Crusaders and Cardinals honored former Heidelberg softball player Megan Dragony, who is battling Hodgkin's lymphoma, and those close to them who have fought cancer with the release of several pink balloons. The initiative was part of the OAC's Cancer Awareness Week. All proceeds from the games benefitted The Gathering Place, a non-profit organization aimed at helping cancer patients and their supporters cope with the deadly disease and its effects.

Check back soon for a complete OAC Tournament Web page and information pertaining to the event.