Miller's 7th inning home run leads Softball to split with Baldwin-Wallace

By: Tim Glon

ADA — Freshman Christin Miller hit a 3-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to lead Ohio Northern to a split with Baldwin-Wallace in an Ohio Athletic Conference softball double header Sunday afternoon at the ONU Softball Field.

The Polar Bears Move to 18-8 overall and 8-2 in OAC play, while the Yellow Jackets move to 17-8, 5-5.

Northern won the opener 10-8, but B-W came from behind to win the nightcap 6-4.

Miller's home run, the first of her collegiate career, capped a 7-run rally as ONU came from 8-3 down with four runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh to win the first game of the day.

Trailing 8-7, sophomore Meghan Anten led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and went to third on a single by sophomore Michelle Sweet, setting up Miller's heroics.

The Polar Bears struck first, scoring three times in the home half of the first frame.

Junior All-American Kimi Blewett blasted a 2-run home run to deep left field to make it 2-0 and junior All-American Jackie Mangola scored on the back half of a double steal to make it a 3-0 lead.

BW answered with a run in the top of the second when Samantha Brown hit a 2-out, RBI single to score Sarah Baker to make it 3-1.

Kaity Muller hit a 2-run home run to cap a 3-run rally in the top of the third to give BW a 4-3 advantage.

Tabatha Murray led off the top of the fifth frame with a solo home run to left center, sparking a 4-run inning, to make it 8-3 Yellow Jackets.

Northern rallied in the bottom of the sixth, scoring on back-to-back 1-out doubles by junior Lisa Light and sophomore Michelle Sweet.

Later in the frame, Mangola hit a 2-out, wind-blown single to score sophomore Alia Brodie and freshman Christa Miller to make it 8-6.

Freshman pinch-runner Carly McKenzie then scored on an error by the BW third baseman and Northern was within 8-7.

Sophomore Katy Newman (4-2) earned the win in relief for ONU.

In Game 2, Northern again struck first when Brodie singled home Miller and Anten in the bottom of the seventh to give ONU a quick 2-0 lead.

BW tied it up at 2-2 with runs in the third and fourth innings.

Back-to-back home runs by Tanya Davis and Kaity Mullen plated four runs in  the top of the seventh and gave BW a 6-2 lead.

But Northern battled back and a 2-out, 2-run double by junior Katie Cretin scored Blewett and Mangola and brought the polar Bears within 6-4.

But BW pitcher Tabitha Murray (3-0) would get Anten to pop up to end the threat.

The Polar Bears will return to action Tuesday at home against OAC foe Otterbein at 3:30 pm at the ONU Softball Field.