No. 25 Softball uses key extra base hits to post 6-1 victory over Penn State-Behrend in first round of NCAA Tournament

By Tim Glon

ALMA, Mich. -- No. 25 Ohio Northern got four big extra-base hits and went on to defeat Penn State-Behrend 6-1 in the first round of the NCAA III Regionals Thursday afternoon at Scots Field.

The Polar Bears improve to 27-11, while the Lions fall to 26-14.

Second-seeded ONUadvances in the winner's bracket and will face third-seeded and tournament host Alma (Mich.) Friday at 4 pm.

Seventh-seeded PSUB moves to the loser's bracket and will face sixth-seeded Denison in an elimination game Friday at Noon.

"We cane out ready to play," ONU head coach Kim Burke said. "We hit the ball hard all day and got some timely hits. Dani (Steepe) threw well. It was a total team victory."

The Polar Bears got off to a quick start, scoring twice in the bottom of the first inning.

Sophomore Christin Miller led off the inning with a single up the middle and scored easily on a triple to right field by freshman Kelly Sheridan.

Senior Cassie Gaye then singled home Sheridan to make it a 2-0 game.

Senior All-American Kimi Blewett drilled a home run just inside the left field foul pole with one out in the bottom of the third to extend Northern's lead to 3-0. The dinger was the 41st of Blewett's career and her league-leading 12th of the season.

Penn State-Behrend got an unearned run in the top of the sixth to pull within 3-1.

Freshman Adriana Sikora drilled a 2-out, 2-run double into the left center field gap to score junior Ashley Sujkowski and senior Katie Cretin in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Sophomore Colleen Baligan then singled home Sikora and Northern's lead was 6-1 heading into the top of the seventh.

Sophomore Dani Steepe improved to 4-1 with the complete-game, 7-strikeout victory.