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Ohio Wesleyan 2, Denison 1
Ohio Wesleyan 5, Denison 4
April 10, 2008
![[ Rita Cook ]](../images/rcook.jpg)
Freshman outfielder Tara VanVranken (North Canton/Massillon Jackson) drove in the game-winning run in the eighth inning in the opener and plated the tying run in the 10th inning of the nightcap, sophomore third baseman Rita Cook (Sidney/Fairlawn) drove in the game-winning run in the nightcap, and sophomore lefthander Rachel Seibel (Johnstown/Johnstown-Monroe) won both games as Ohio Wesleyan swept Denison in a North Coast Athletic Conference doubleheader on Thursday at Hayes High School.
The opener featured a pitchers' duel between Seibel and Denison's Bri Scrofano.
Seibel held the Big Red hitless until Denison's Rachel Cotterman broke up the no-hitter and the shutout with a solo homer down the rightfield line with one out in the fourth inning, giving the Big Red a 1-0 lead.
Meanwhile, after VanVranken lined a 2-out double in the first inning, Scrofano did not allow the Bishops another hit until sophomore outfielder Krystle Skaziak (Dublin/Scioto) led off the sixth with a bunt single. Sophomore second baseman Emily Bradley (Columbus/Upper Arlington) then reached on a fielder's choice, with Skaziak reaching second safely. After a pair of fly outs, senior catcher Miranda Simmons (Norwalk) scorched a ground-rule double into the leftfield corner to plate Skaziak with the tying run.
The Bishops won the game in the bottom of the eighth. Sophomore outfielder Amanda Sanders (Lima/Bath) lined a 2-out double down the leftfield line, and VanVranken followed with a fly to shallow left center that fell in front of a diving effort by Denison centerfielder MaryBeth Krolikowski, with Sanders scoring easily from second.
Seibel finished with a 3-hitter, striking out 9 and walking 2. Scrofano, who struck out 5 and walked none, pitched the complete game for Denison.
In the nightcap, sophomore righthander Catrice Mayweather (Lewis Center/Olentangy) staked herself to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when she crushed a solo homer to center.
Denison evened the game in the top of the fourth when Ali Silver singled with one out, stole second, moved to third on an infield out, and scored when first baseman Bradley could not dig out a low throw from sophomore shortstop Sarah Cook (Sidney/Fairlawn).
The Bishops answered in the bottom of the inning when Simmons launched a rocket over the fence in left center for a 2-1 lead.
Denison's Alex Murray tied the game with a solo shot in the top of the fifth, and the Big Red took a 3-2 lead later in the inning when Ali Teopas singled and moved to second when the ball got past Sanders, then scored on Silver's single.
Skaziak led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and Bradley beat out a bunt to put Ohio Wesleyan runners on first and second. Sanders followed with a single to score Skaziak and tie the game at 3-3. After VanVranken popped up for the first out, Simmons rapped a grounder to Denison third baseman Murray, who tried to tag Bradley between second and third, then threw to first too late to get Simmons, loading the bases for the Bishops, but Big Red pitcher Mandy Krutzler coaxed Mayweather to bounce into a double play, sending the game into extra innings.
The Big Red took a 4-3 lead in the top of the 10th inning. After Emily Croll was placed on second base to open the inning, Krolikowski moved Croll to third with a sacrifice and Silver plated Croll with an infield out.
Ohio Wesleyan came back in the bottom of the inning. Sanders was placed on second to start the inning, and VanVranken wasted no time ripping a single up the middle to score Sanders with the tying run, with VanVranken taking second on the throw home. After a pair of fly outs, VanVranken scored on Rita Cook's single to complete the Bishop sweep.
Mayweather went 3-for-5 for Ohio Wesleyan, while VanVranken and Rita Cook had 2 hits apiece.
Mayweather pitched 5-plus innings, allowing 6 hits while striking out 3 and walking none. Seibel came on in the sixth and gave up 2 hits, striking out 4 and walking none.
Krutzler pitched the complete game for Denison.
