Softball earns doubleheader sweep of Mount Union

By Wes Mayberry 

ALLIANCE — The Ohio Northern softball team earned a doubleheader sweep of Mount Union on Saturday, winning 3-2 in Game 1 and 5-3 in Game 2 at 23rd Street Softball Field.

The Polar Bears improve to 8-6 overall and 4-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference, while the Purple Raiders fall to 11-13, 1-3.

Freshman Ashley Lenser (Brookville) led the way for Northern in Game 1, pitching all seven innings and allowing just the two runs on nine hits and one walk to go with one strikeout.

The Polar Bears got the scoring started in the top of the first inning after a leadoff double from senior Abby Elliott (Loveland/Ursuline) and a bunt single from senior Rachel Hish (Gainesville, Va./Patriot).

Senior Hannah Rubel (Swanton/Notre Dame) followed with a one-out RBI single, and senior Lauren Renner (Columbus/Hilliard Bradley) walked to load the bases.

With two outs, junior Sydney Motylinski (Ida, Mich.) drew a walk to bring home Hish, giving ONU a 2-0 lead.

The Raiders scored a run in the bottom of the second to cut the deficit in half, but ONU went up 3-1 on a single from sophomore Kaylie Griffin (Grafton/Elyria Catholic) in the fourth.

Mount Union closed the scoring with a solo home run from Amanda Bish in the bottom of the sixth.

The Raiders hit a pair of singles in the seventh, but Lenser was able to work out of the jam to get the win and improve her record to 3-2 on the season.

An RBI single from Hish gave the Polar Bears a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning of Game 2, but Mount Union answered with a run in the bottom of the frame.

The score was tied 2-2 after four innings, and the Raiders proceeded to take a 3-2 edge on a sac fly from Hanna Ingram in the fifth.

The Polar Bears answered with what proved to be the winning runs in the top of the sixth, taking a 4-3 lead.

Mount Union loaded the bases on a trio of walks in the bottom of the seventh, but junior Allie Bican  (Solon) struck out Taylor Gerback to end the game and earn her first career save.

Bican pitched 2.2 innings of relief and allowed just those three walks while tallying three strikeouts.

Sophomore Alex Daum (Wapakoneta) got the pitching start for ONU, going 4.1 innings and allowing three runs on nine hits and no walks to go with one strikeout to earn the win and improve to 1-1 on the season.

The Polar Bears return to action on Tuesday when they host OAC foe Wilmington for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.