Softball continues homestand at new Durbin-Hileman Stadium, splits doubleheader with Hope (Mich.) on warm Monday afternoon

ADA — The Ohio Northern softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Hope (Mich.) on a sunny and breezy Monday afternoon. 

The Basics

• ONU won the opener 8-0 in six innings and dropped the nightcap 10-2 in five innings.
• Records: Ohio Northern (7-7 overall), Hope (12-7 overall).
• Venue: Durbin-Hileman Stadium - Ada, Ohio.

Game 1 - W, 8-0 (6 innings)

• Freshman Taylor Keck (Wadsworth) threw a 6-hit shutout as the Polar Bears won their first-ever game at brand new Durbin-Hileman Stadium.
• Junior Callie Rosser (Republic/Monroeville) went 2-for-3 with as double, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI for ONU.
• Fifth-year senior Sydney Motylinski (Ida, Mich.) was 2-for-2 with a 2-run double and a run scored for the hosts as well.
• Northern got on the board in the bottom of the first when Motylinski singled home Rosser.
• ONU added three runs in the bottom of the third to go up 4-0.
• The lead was 6-0 entering the bottom of the sixth when sophomore Kylie King (London/Alder) scored on a fielder's choice to make it 7-0.
• Rosser followed with a single into the right field corner to score junior Mariana Alejandro (Gibsonburg) to end the game at 8-0 due to the NCAA's 8-run rule.
• Ohio Northern out-hit Hope 10-6.

Game 2 - L, 2-10 (5 innings)

• Hope started quickly in game two, scoring four times in the first inning, three more in the second and two more in the third to lead 9-0. HC added another run in the fourth to go up 10-0.
• Freshman Ashley Simko (Lebanon) got the Polar Bears on the board in the bottom of the fourth with a 2-run single that scored sophomore Allie Wilson (Wapakoneta) and Motylinski.
• Hope out-hit Ohio Northern 12-6.

Notables

• The Polar Bears played their third and fourth-ever games in brand-new Durbin-Hileman Stadium.
• Rosser and junior Ashley Lenser (Brookville) lead Ohio Northern in batting through 14 games this season with identical averages of .462, with each going 18-of-39 at the plate. Wilson is right behind in third at .438.
• Lenser is also 3-1 with 22 strikeouts and a 2.23 ERA in 22.0 innings in the circle and is hitting .455 with 2 home runs and 9 RBI at the plate.
• Northern is now 8-6 all-time against Hope.
• Ohio Northern is in its 57th season of softball. The Polar Bears are 979-667-4 all-time, a winning percentage of .594.
• Seventh-year head coach Jackie Price is now 161-99-1 at Ohio Northern for a winning percentage of .620.

Up Next

• The Polar Bears will return to action on Friday when they open the Ohio Athletic Conference portion of their schedule against Marietta at 1 pm at Durbin-Hileman Stadium.