COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Capital University softball team earned a hard-fought split with crosstown rivals, Otterbein University on Good Friday, taking the Battle for the Oar game in the nightcap by a final score of 6-5 in extra innings. Capital fell 8-6 in the first game.
The Comets now sit 6-4 on the season, while Otterbein is 6-10 overall. Both teams are 1-1 in the OAC.
In game one, the Comets jumped in front in the first inning thanks to a towering two-run home run from
Emma Sweetman – her second four-bagger of the season and of her career.
The Cardinals then plated a run in the third and then went in front with a six-run fifth inning, benefiting from some Comet defensive miscues to do the damage.
Despite falling behind 7-2, Capital didn't give up as the team scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth, making the score the eventual final of 8-6.
Maci Stults came through with a pinch-hit RBI single to center and was followed with a two-RBI single by
Kyleigh Kirby and a run via an error to make up the offense.
The Comets collected 10 hits in game one, with eight of the starting nine collecting at least one hit.
Megan Parry was the lone Comet with two hits in the game.
Megan Mlinaric started game one, throwing five full innings and being hit with the loss. She allowed eight hits and seven runs, just one of which was earned. She fanned eight Cardinal hitters in her outing.
Jessica Workman picked up the final two innings of relief where she allowed just one hit and one earned run to go with two strikeouts.
In the second game, Capital again played from in front, this time going up 1-0 in the bottom of the third inning thanks to a solo home run from
Kyleigh Kirby. The lead held through until the fifth inning where Otterbein scored four runs – three of which were unearned.
Now trailing 4-1, Capital responded in the bottom of the fifth by scoring two runs thanks to Kirby's second solo home run of the game and
Megan Parry's RBI single later in the inning.
With the score now 4-3, The game went to the seventh inning where the visitors added a fifth run via an error to go up 5-3.
In the bottom of the seventh, Capital responded thanks to a two-run double hit by
Emma Gant, knotting the score at 5-5. Forced into extras, Capital got a rally going immediately in the bottom of the eighth. The bases became loaded after
Lyndi Hemmelgarn was hit by a pitch,
Autumn Bridges reached on an error after a sac bunt, and
Emma Sweetman walked. After a fielder's choice eliminated Hemmelgarn at home, the Comets got their final chance to get the walk-off with
McKenzie Kennedy at the plate. Down to her last strike, Kennedy pooped a ball into shallow left where the Cardinal shortstop would settle under it. Lucky for Kennedy and the Comets, the ball would fall out of the shortstop's glove, landing safely and allowing Bridges to score from third, ending the game, 6-5.
In game two, the Comets offense stayed active as the team slugged out 13 hits – three each from
Emma Sweetman and
Emma Gant.
Kyleigh Kirby and
Rory Littman each finished with two hits, while
Megan Parry,
Larae Portis, and
Lyndi Hemmelgarn each had one.
In the circle,
Krislyn Bayles started game two and was hurling a gem through 4.1 innings. She ended with two hits and two walks conceded and she allowed three runs, just one of which was earned. Mlinaric came in to close out the final 3.2 innings and secured the win, allowing seven hits and just two unearned runs. She struckout another three Cardinals in game two, giving her 11 punchouts on the day.
UP NEXT
The team will now take the weekend off for Easter, before getting back on the field on Wednesday, April 3rd for a road doubleheader at Heidelberg University.
