Softball splits double header with Muskingum

By Tim Glon

ADA — The Ohio Northern softball team split an Ohio Athletic Conference double header with Muskingum on Saturday afternoon at the ONU Softball Field.

The Polar Bears (14-15 overall, 7-5 OAC) won the opener 10-1, while the Muskies (15-11, 8-4) won the night cap 10-2.

Both games were called due to the NCAA's 8-run rule.

Senior Colleen Baliga went 3-for-5 with a home run and three runs scored to lead the ONU offense on the afternoon.

In Game 1, junior Kelly Sheridan and sophomore Amanda Lahti each hit 2-run home runs and Baliga drilled a solo home run as the Polar Bears rolled to a 5-inning victory.

Senior Christin Miller had a 2-out, 2-run single in the bottom of the first inning to get ONU off to a quick 2-0 lead.

Sheridan's 2-run home run made it a 4-0 game in the second and Lahti's 2-run home run and Baliga's solo shot in the third put Northern ahead 7-0.

In the fourth, Lahti hit a sacrifice fly to plate junior Adriana Sikora and make it 8-0 and Miller followed with another 2-run single, giving her 4 RBI in the game, to cap the rally and put the Polar Bears ahead 10-0.

Freshman Paige Ordean scattered 8 hits and struck out one to earn the complete game victory and improve to 10-8 on the season.

In Game 2, it was Muskingum that got off to a quick start, leading 5-0 entering the bottom of the second inning.

Freshman Tessa Topp got ONU on the board with a RBI single that scored Baliga to make it a 5-1 game.

Senior Carly McKenzie scored on a MU throwing error in the bottom of the third to make it 8-2.

The Polar Bears will return to action Tuesday with an OAC twin-bill at Baldwin Wallace.