Softball clinches OAC Tournament berth, top-3 seed in OAC Tournament with 8-0, 3-2 sweep of Marietta

 By Caleb Scott

MARIETTA — The Ohio Northern softball team punched its ticket to the 2018 Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament and clinched at least a top-3 seed in the tournament as it swept Marietta 8-0, 3-2 on Saturday afternoon at Marietta Field.

With a twinbill with Muskingum as the only remaining contests in the conference schedule, the Polar Bears (26-6 overall, 12-4 OAC) are one game back from Otterbein and the top seed and hold a 1-game lead over Heidelberg for the No. 2 seed in the tournament. 

Marietta (15-15, 7-7) moved into a tie for fifth place in the OAC standings.

Sophomore Brady Guest (Convoy/Crestview) led the Polar Bears offensively with five hits, including her team-leading fifth home run of the season. She also added five RBI and a run scored.

Senior Jenna Hollar (Lima/Bath) and sophomore Gabby Stewart (Union, Ky./St. Henry) each added four hits for ONU. 

With three stolen bases today, Hollar broke former Polar Bear Mandi Fought's single-season record with 36 stolen bases.

Hollar also moved into a tie for sixth place all-time at ONU with 193 career hits.

Senior Kirsten Lightel (Tallmadge) picked up the victory in the pitchers circle in game one, tossing a complete game, striking out six batters and only allowing two hits.

After two scoreless innings, Hollar and senior Miranda Huddle (Versailles) were able to find home plate in the top of the third inning to open up the scoring and give ONU a 2-0 lead in the first contest.

With Hollar on base in the top of the fifth, Stewart hit her team-leading 14th double of the season to push the lead with 3-0.

A 2-RBI triple from sophomore Lexie Hess (Mount Vernon) cleared the bases in the top of the sixth inning before she was able to score on a Marietta miscue to give ONU a comfortable 6-0 lead.

Guest ensured the victory in the seventh inning with a 2-RBI home run to left center as ONU went on to win 8-0.

In the second contest, Guest went back to work and plated Hollar in the first inning to give Northern an early 1-0 lead before Marietta was able to get two back in the bottom of the fifth inning and take a 2-1 lead.

RBI doubles from Stewart and Guest in the top of the sixth inning proved to be the game winners and helped lift ONU to the 3-2 victory.

Junior Kaitlin Surdej (Lancaster/Central) picked up the pitching victory for her 12th win of the season, while Lightel recorded her first save of the season.

Northern will return home on Saturday, Apr. 28 as it welcomes Muskingum to the ONU Softball Field at 1 p.m. for its OAC season finale.