Capital 1-2, John Carroll 4-1(COLUMBUS, Ohio) - Sophomore second baseman Rebekah Peters (Bowling Green/Bowling Green) hit an RBI double in the eighth inning of game two to send Capital University's softball team to a doubleheader split with Ohio Athletic Conference opponent John Carroll University Wednesday at Clowson Field.
The score was tied at one, and with two outs in the eighth junior rightfielder Kaleen Keitch (Pickerington/Pickerington North) drew a walk. Sophomore Brittany Stefano (Uniontown/Uniontown Lake) also walked, and Peters lined a pitch over the head of the centerfielder to bring home Keitch.
Peters' heroics made a winner out of senior pitcher Erin Willeke (Newark/Licking Valley), who pitched a complete game and only allowed one unearned run. She struck out 13 and yielded just five hits and two walks, improving her season record to 6-7.
The Crusaders trailed 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Willeke, who walked to start the inning, scored on Keitch's RBI double.
Capital dropped game one by a score of 4-1, despite Stefano's efforts on the mound. The sophomore retired 14 Blue Streaks in a row at one point and struck out 11. Her 11 strikeouts gave her 306 for her career, and she became just the fourth pitcher in program history to surpass 300 career strikeouts.
The first game was scoreless entering the top of the sixth. John Carroll's Kelly D'Amato struck out but reached on a passed ball, and Julie Marlowe singled. Both scored on a wild pitch and an error later in the inning, and Jamie Smrdel followed with a solo home run to make it 3-0 Blue Streaks.
Capital answered with four singles in the bottom of the sixth, as Willeke hit an RBI single to bring home freshman centerfielder Sarah Finkel (Mechanicsburg/Bishop Ready). But the Crusaders couldn't continue the rally and JCU added an insurance run in the seventh.
D'Amato scored a pair of runs and had two hits to lead the Blue Streaks in the doubleheader, while Finkel and senior third baseman Lindsay Shepherd (Phillipsburg/Northmont) each had three hits to pace the Crusaders.
The Crusaders are now 16-11 (5-3 OAC), while the Blue Streaks are 8-14 (4-4 OAC). Capital hosts Heidelberg College at 1 p.m. Saturday at Clowson Field.