Hiram 3, Ohio Wesleyan 2

May 2, 2009

Freshman third baseman Ashley Allen (Richwood/North Union) singled in a run to give the Bishops a 2-1 lead, but Hiram's Stephanie Zunic slammed a 2-run, walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh to lift the Terriers over Ohio Wesleyan in Game 3 of the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament on Saturday in Granville.

Hiram advances to the tournament championship game, scheduled to be played on Sunday, while Ohio Wesleyan returns to play the winner of today's Denison-Allegheny game in the losers bracket final, with that game scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

Ohio Wesleyan took a 1-0 lead in the second as sophomore outfielder Tara VanVranken (North Canton/Massillon Jackson) led off with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice, and scored on a single by sophomore catcher Sarah Truchan (Westfield Center/Brunswick).

The Terriers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning on walks to Heidi Gipson and Jena Ervin and a bunt single by Kristen Cooney. Zunic followed with a flare to shallow left center that fell, and while the Bishops were able to retire Ervin on the force at third, Gipson scored to tie the game at 1-1.

The Bishops answered in the top of the third, with junior outfielder Amanda Sanders (Lima/Bath) lashing a 2-out single, moving to second on a wild pitch, and scoring on Allen's single up the middle. VanVranken followed with a single, sending Allen to third, but the runners were stranded at the corners.

That 2-1 lead looked like it would be enough for junior lefthander Rachel Seibel (Johnstown/Johnstown-Monroe). After getting the last out of the second inning, Seibel retired 15 of the next 16 hitters, yielding only a leadoff single to Gipson in the fourth.

With 2 down in the seventh, however, Cooney reached on a bloop single to center and Zunic followed with a shot down the leftfield line to end the game and send the Terriers into Sunday's championship game.

Sanders, Allen, and VanVranken had 2 hits apiece for Ohio Wesleyan.

Seibel pitched the complete game, allowing 5 hits and striking out 5 while walking 3.

Sarah Padilla was the winning pitcher in relief for Hiram.

Box Score