SSU Softball secures second straight sweep with victories over Ohio Christian (4-2 W, 10-2 W/5); extends winning streak to five straight games

CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio -- The softball program at Shawnee State continued to thrive offensively in a nonconference doubleheader against the Ohio Christian Trailblazers' softball program Monday afternoon on the Ohio Christian University campus in Circleville -- as the Bears collected 14 runs on 20 hits between both contests and got quality pitching outings from Genavie Espinoza and Emma Wargel inside the circle in Games 1 and 2 en route to 4-2 and 10-2 victories over the Trailblazers to push its winning streak to five consecutive contests.

Game Summaries

Along with posting 20 hits in sweeping the twinbill, Shawnee State hit .357 as a team offensively en route to blitzing Ohio Christian in both affairs. The Bears received base hits from six players (Sierra Dunnagan, Jenna Christopher, Mackenzie Hale, Emily Moore, Cameryn Davidson and Emily Cheatham) in Game 1 and got hits from seven different players, including Dunnagan, Christopher, Davidson, Moore, Cheatham, Sydney Skiver and Keegan Uhl, in Game 2.

Pitching-wise, Espinoza and Wargel controlled the pace for much of the day -- as Espinoza fired a four-hitter, struck out seven, and gave up just one earned run through six innings of work in Game 1 while Wargel struck out five batters en route to a complete game three-hitter in Game 2.

Overall, Espinoza faced the minimum in the second and third innings of play and struck out at least two batters in the first and third innings of action, while Wargel overcame two first inning errors that led to a pair of runs by facing just three batters above the minimum from the second inning onward while also facing the minimum amount of Ohio Christian sluggers in the second and third frames of competition.

Game 1 -- Shawnee State 4, Ohio Christian 2

Shawnee State did all of its damage in the second and third frames in Monday's opener -- as the Bears received a leadoff single by Mackenzie Hale, then got a two-out RBI grounder from Sydney Skiver that scored Hale later on in the second frame to take an early 1-0 lead after two innings of work.

The Bears then turned up the dial further in the third frame, as nine-hole hitter Emily Cheatham successfully turned over the order with her leadoff single, then scored on an RBI triple by Shawnee State sophomore infielder Sierra Dunnagan to immediately put SSU ahead by a 2-0 count. Then, Jenna Christopher proceeded to do damage -- as the junior outfielder brought in Dunnagan with her RBI bunt single and scored on a wild pitch to put the Bears up by a 4-0 margin through three innings of work.

Ohio Christian was able to manufacture a run across in the sixth inning and put back-to-back base hits in the seventh frame to cut the Shawnee State lead to a 4-2 count -- while putting the tying run at the plate with nobody out -- but freshman relief pitcher Gabby McConnell, playing in her hometown, secured the victory for the Bears in Game 1 by working around potential trouble en route to obtaining two strikeouts and a groundout to keep the Trailblazers from mounting a serious charge.

For the contest, Hale (3-for-4, double) and Cameryn Davidson (2-for-3) led the Bears with multi-hit performances in the opener, while Christopher (1-for-3, RBI, run scored), Dunnagan (1-for-4, triple, RBI, run scored), Cheatham (1-for-3, run scored) and Emily Moore (1-for-3) also made appearances in the hit column for Shawnee State to aid the Bears from an offensive perspective.

Game 2 -- Shawnee State 10, Ohio Christian 2 (F/5)

After trailing by a 2-0 count following the opening inning of play in the second contest, Shawnee State faced little trouble afterward as the Bears proceeded to score in each of the remaining four frames to conclude matters.

The Bears were especially stout in the second inning of work, as Shawnee State sent eight batters to the plate with leadoff hitter Emily Moore beginning the proceedings with a leadoff double to left field right off of the bat -- and fellow freshman Keegan Uhl coming up to the plate two batters later to drive in Moore with her RBI base knock to center, scoring Moore.

Two additional freshmen who have been key to Shawnee State's early season success -- Kiera Williams and Emily Cheatham -- then walked and reached on a single, respectively, loading the bases for Jenna Christopher who proceeded to unload them with a massive three-run double to score Uhl, Williams and Cheatham.

In a blink, Shawnee State had turned the 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 lead in one-half inning, and never looked back.

The Bears then again sent eight batters up to the plate in the bottom of the third frame, as Moore began matters once again with a one-out walk and was moved into scoring position after Sydney Skiver singled to left field. An error then scored Moore, and after a steal of second by Uhl and a walk by Williams, Cheatham manufactured in a run with her sacrifice fly RBI to score Skiver -- as Shawnee State took a 6-2 advantage.

In the fourth and fifth frames, Shawnee State put the bow on top of the doubleheader sweep -- as Christopher's leadoff single in the fourth inning was followed by RBI singles from Moore and Skiver, while early damage by Sierra Dunnagan and Cameryn Davidson in the fifth inning helped the Bears obtain the final two runs that it needed to seal the mercy rule win in Game 2.

Overall, Shawnee State was led by Christopher (2-for-3, double, three RBI, two runs scored), Moore (2-for-3, double, walk, RBI, three runs scored), Skiver (2-for-3, RBI, run scored) and Dunnagan (2-for-4, run scored), while Uhl (1-for-2, walk, two RBI, run scored), Cheatham (1-for-2, RBI, run scored) and Davidson (1-for-4) rounded out those who appeared in the hit column for Shawnee State. Williams also walked twice and scored once in a strong outing by the eight-hole hitter.

Additional

Winners of five straight, Shawnee State (11-9) will put that winning streak on the line in a doubleheader that is scheduled to be played at Georgetown (8-14) Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m. at the Tiger Softball Complex in Georgetown, Ky.