Ohio Softball Concludes 2022 Regular Season with Win Over WMU

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ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio softball team (23-23, 17-10 MAC) wrapped up the 2022 regular season on Sunday afternoon, defeating Western Michigan (22-32, 12-16), 6-5, inside the Ohio Softball Field.
 
Overall, Ohio scored six runs on eight hits and committed one error, while WMU scored five runs on eight hits and committed one error. 
 
Individually, fifth year Allie Englant (Long Beach, Calif.) went 2-for-3 with a double and run scored, while graduate student Megan McMenemy (Westerville, Ohio) went 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored. Fifth year Brooke Rice (Mason, Ohio) went 2-for-2 with a homerun, run scored and RBI, while sophomore Yasmine Logan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) registered a double, RBI and a run scored. Senior Caroline Spacek (Beaumont, Texas) added one hit, a homerun, and two RBI. 
 
The Bobcats struck first in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Logan hammered a first pitch double to right center. Moments later, McMenemy roped a double of her own down the right field line, scoring Logan and giving Ohio a 1-0 lead going to the top of the second inning. 
 
The Bobcats added on in the bottom of the third. After Englant reached on a leadoff single to right, she then stole second. She then advanced to third on a base hit from McMenemy and scored on a sacrifice fly from sophomore Annalia Paoli (Point Marion, Pa).. Then moments later, Spacek, in her final game at the OSF, hit a two-run homerun to left, giving the Bobcats a 4-0 lead after three full innings. 
 
WMU got on the board in the top of the fourth inning, hitting a two-out solo homerun to cut Ohio’s lead to 4-1 going to the bottom of the frame. In the bottom of the frame, the Bobcats got the run back when Rice, also in her final game in Athens, hit a one-out solo homerun, giving Ohio a 5-1 lead going to the fifth inning. 
 
Western Michigan tied the game in the top of the fifth inning, scoring four runs on four hits, knotting the game at 5-5 going to the bottom of the frame. Ohio threatened in the bottom of the frame when Paoli reached on a leadoff walk. However, the offense was unable to capitalize on the free pass, sending the game to the top of the sixth tied at 5-5. 
 
Ohio retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. After Rice drew a walk to lead off the inning, sophomore Emily Walker (Plain City, Ohio) entered to run for her. She then moved to second on a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt from freshman Lauren Yuhas (West Mifflin, Pa.). Then with one out, Englant doubled on a bunt to the pitcher, putting runners on second and third, allowing Logan to place a ball in the air to right, allowing Walker to score, putting Ohio up 6-5 going to the seventh inning. 
 
WMU threatened in the top of the seventh inning. With two outs, the Broncos put runners on first and second on back-to-back singles. Then with a batter in the box, Rice gunned the ball down to first and Spacek applied the tag. After the runner was initially called safe, the umpires come together and overturned the call, ending the game and sealing Ohio’s 6-5 win. 
 
In the circle, senior Mackensie Kohl (Corona Del Mar, Calif.) pitched 4.2 innings, allowing five runs on six hits, while walking two. Meanwhile, junior Kylie Coffelt (Beloit, Ohio) pitched 2.1 innings, allowing no runs on two hits and struck out one. 
 
Up next, the Bobcats head to the 2022 Mid-American Conference Tournament starting Thursday, May 12 in Oxford, Ohio. The No. 2 Bobcats will take on No. 3 Central Michigan at 1 p.m. 
 
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