Manahan, Saturday provide clutch hits as Softball rallies for double header split at Otterbein

By Tim Glon

WESTERVILLE — Senior Taylor Manahan and freshman Gia Saturday had back-to-back 2-out, 2-run singles in the top of the seventh to rally the Ohio Northern softball team to an 8-7 victory at Otterbein in Game 2 of a double header Friday afternoon at Rike Field.

The host Cardinals won the first game 7-4, rallying from a 4-0 ONU lead after five and a half innings.

The Polar Bears move to 16-7 overall and are 7-3 in Ohio Athletic Conference play, while Otterbein is now 10-14, 6-4.

Trailing 7-4 entering the top of the seventh inning in game two, OU was just three outs away from a key OAC sweep.

But freshmen Amanda Huddle and Jenna Hollar and senior Kelly Sheridan loaded the bases with two out.

Saturday singled to right center to score Huddle and Hollar and make it a 7-6 game and alertly went to second on the throw to the plate.

She then scored, along with Sheridan, on a 2-run single to left by Manahan to put ONU ahead 8-7.

But the excitement wasn't over, as the Cardinals got two on with only one out in the home half of the seventh.

But Sheridan caught a line drive in center field and threw to shortstop Saturday for the double play to end the game.

Sophomore Paige Ordean picked up the win in the circle and improved to 4-3 on the season.

In the opener, ONU score twice in the third inning and twice in the fifth inning to take a 4-0 lead.

But OU tied the game with four runs in the fifth and went ahead with three runs in the sixth, then retired Ohio Northern in the seventh for the win.

Sheridan led the ONU offense, going 3-for-7 with two RBI and two runs scored.

The Polar Bears will stay on the road for two games at OAC rival Muskingum on Saturday.