Softball

BEREA, OHIO — The Baldwin Wallace University softball team split a pair of games for the third straight day, today (Wednesday, March 7) on its annual spring break trip to the annual Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Florida.

The Yellow Jackets, 5-3 overall, defeated Husson (Maine) College, 5-3,but then lost to the College Misericordia (Pa.), 1-0, in the nightcap.

In the first game, Husson grabbed a 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the second inning before BW scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 2-1 advantage. Husson regained the lead at 3-2 with a pair of runs in the fifth. In the bottom of that frame, BW retook the lead for good with three runs.

In the winning rally in the bottom of the fifth, sophomore third baseman Shae Monschein (Wellington) led off with a double and moved to third on a single by freshman rightfielder Nikki Glazer (Strongsville). Monschein then scored the tying run when freshman centerfielder Jessica Esch (Worthington) reached via an error with Glazer moving to third base. Glazer then scored the winning run when sophomore leftfielder Rachel Krause (Parma/ Valley Forge) singled but was thrown out following an overthrow. BW then added an insurance run via a walk to freshman designated player Lauren Hoffer (Crestline) and the second double of the game by senior All-OAC catcher Molly Sersig (West Salem/ Northwestern).

On the mound, sophomore Jessica Shaffer (Brookfield) pitched the first four and two-third innings before giving way to freshman Danielle Litton (Lodi/ Cloverleaf) in the fifth. Shaffer allowed six hits and three earned runs and struck out three and walked two. Litton came in and improved to 2-0 with two and one-third innings of scoreless relief as she allowed one base hit, struck out four and walked one. She struck out the side in the sixth.

Offensively, Sersig led the way by going three-for-three at the plate with the two doubles and a run batted-in.

In the nightcap, BW and Misericordia locked up in a pitchers duel. Unfortunately, Misericordia's Nichole Decatur outdueled BW sophomore Katey Munshower (Natrona Heights, Pa./ Highlands). Munshower allowed just one hit and Decatur two but the Cougars scored the game's only run in the sixth via a walk, sacrifice bunt, error and a double.

On the mound, Munshower allowed just one hit, struck out two and walked one. BW's two hits were a third inning single by freshman shortstop Lauren Sabolik (Strongsville), who was then thrown out trying to steal, and a seventh inning single by Lauren Hoffer, who advanced as far as second base.

The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Thursday, March 8 when they play their final two games on the trip and face Greensboro (N.C.) College at 3:00 p.m. and then play Misericordia at 5:00 p.m. BW opens northern play on Saturday, March 17 when it hosts traditional rival Wittenberg University at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds Field in a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. The Yellow Jackets open Ohio Athletic Conference play on Saturday, March 31 when they host arch-rival Mount Union College in a twinbill at 1:00 p.m.

FOR MORE BW SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327, by FAX machine at 440-826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu.  To contact Head Coach Joe Yocabet, you can call him in his office at 440-826-3398, FAX him at 440-826-2192 or e-mail him at rcochran@bw.edu.