Softball drops pair of tight games in doubleheader at Alma (Mich.)

By Wes Mayberry

ALMA, Mich. — The Ohio Northern softball team dropped a pair of tight games in a doubleheader against Alma (Mich.) on Monday at Scots Park.

The Polar Bears (4-6 overall) fell 6-2 in Game 1 and dropped Game 2 by a score of 5-4, improving the Scots to 13-7 on the season.

Northern scored first in Game 1 courtesy of a second-inning double from senior Lauren Renner (Columbus/Hilliard Bradley), but Alma answered with three runs in the bottom of the third frame and one more in the fourth for a 4-1 edge.

The Scots added two more runs in the sixth inning before ONU tried to string together a rally in the top of the seventh.

Freshman Callie Rosser (Republic/Monroeville) hit a one-out single and advanced to second on a groundout from senior Abby Elliott (Loveland/Ursuline) before moving to third on a single from senior Rachel Hish (Gainesville, Va./Patriot).

A walk to freshman Ashley Lenser (Brookville) loaded the bases, and a single from senior Hannah Rubel (Swanton/Notre Dame) scored Rosser to make the score 6-2 before Alma recorded the final out.

Rubel paced the ONU offense in the game with two hits, including a double, to go with an RBI.

Senior Stacey Walters (Sunbury/Big Walnut) got the pitching start for the Polar Bears, striking out three over 5.1 innings.

Northern rebounded from the Game 1 defeat to take a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning of Game 2.

After a scoreless first three innings, freshman Mariana Alejandro (Gibsonburg) and Rosser tallied RBIs in the top of the fourth for a 2-0 ONU lead.

Alma plated a run in the bottom of the fifth, but the Polar Bears extended their lead with a two-run sixth via RBI singles from Rosser and Elliott.

The Scots answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame that ended up putting them ahead for good.

Rosser, Elliott and junior Sydney Motylinski (Ida, Mich.) each tallied a team-high two hits for ONU in the game, and Rosser had a team-leading two RBIs.

Lenser got the pitching start for Northern and notched three strikeouts over six innings.

The Polar Bears return to action on Thursday for a doubleheader at Calvin (Mich.) beginning at 3:30 p.m.