BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin-Wallace College softball team split a pair of games to begin the 2005 season today (Sunday, Mar. 6) at the annual Spring Rebel Games in Kissimmee, Florida. The Yellow Jackets lost to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, 1-0, in the early game and defeated Cortland (N.Y.) State, 4-0, in the second game.
With the split, B-W has a 1-1 overall record after the first day of action.
In the first game, B-W took a 1-0 lead when junior All-American catcher Nicole Loudin (Sheffield Lake/ Elyria Catholic) hit her first homerun of the season in her first at-bat of 2005. The Yellow Jackets maintained the lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. A pair of errors by B-W allowed USCGA in scoring position with runners on second and first. USCGA's Stephanie Kimmel hit the game-winning single allowing two runs to cross home plate en route to a 2-1 victory for USCGA.
Senior pitcher K.C. Young (Olmsted Twp./ Olmsted Falls) went the distance for the Yellow Jackets allowing two unearned runs and suffered her first loss of the season.
In the second game, B-W scored two runs in the second inning taking an early 2-0 lead. Senior first baseman/catcher Beth Rubosky (Roaming Shores/ Grand Valley) hit a solo homerun, her first of the season, to increase the lead to 3-0 after four innings of play. The Yellow Jackets secured the win scoring a run in the bottom of the fifth for the 4-0 victory over Cortland (N.Y.).
Senior pitcher Jeanette Brezina (Parma Heights/ Valley Forge) pitched all seven innings earning her first victory of the season and first shutout of the year.
B-W will continue play in Florida tomorrow, Monday, Mar. 7, with a pair of games beginning with Widener (Pa.) University at 8:50 a.m. followed by Coe (Iowa) College at 10:40 a.m.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact B-W 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.
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