GAME ONE BOX SCORE |
GAME TWO BOX SCORE COLUMBUS, Ohio - Homestanding Capital used a pair of big offensive performances to move itself into sole possession of fifth place in the Ohio Athletic Conference softball standings with a sweep of Heidelberg on Saturday at Clowson Field. CU won the opener, 7-0, and took the finale, 6-2.
Capital has now won four OAC contests in a row to lift its record to 16-10 overall and 6-4 in conference play. CU will have a chance to make its mark this upcoming week with doubleheaders against John Carroll (also 6-4 OAC) and first-place Ohio Northern (6-2 OAC), which is also ranked No. 12 nationally.
Freshman Christa Alvich (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman HS) had a huge day at the plate as she went 3-for-6 and four RBI. She doubled twice in the opening game while also reaching base twice in the second game with a single and a walk.
Junior Brittany Stefano (Uniontown, Ohio/Uniontown Lake HS) and freshman Nikki Frantz (Vandalia, Ohio/Vandalia-Butler HS) each homered in the first game of the day as Capital tallied seven hits overall including six for extra bases and took advantage of three Heidelberg errors in a 7-0 victory.
Stefano started a five-run rally in the fourth inning with a two-run blast over the centerfield wall. Freshman Jessica Stoltz (Clayton, Ohio/Northmont HS) doubled in a run while classmate Stephanie Peterson (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales HS) tripled in another and the Crusaders scored a third on a throwing error to make it a 6-0 lead after four innings.
Franz then pinch hit to leadoff the fifth inning. In her first collegiate at bat, the freshman blasted the ball over the centerfield wall for a 7-0 lead that would be all the offense Stefano would need in a complete-game shutout in the circle that included 10 strikeouts and no walks allowed.
In the second game, Capital put up its offense in the third and fourth innings on its way to a 6-2 victory.
Sophomore Ashley Daugherty (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Pickerington Central HS) drove in the first run of the contest in the third inning with an RBI single to left field. She then came around to score all the way from first base on a fielding error by the shortstop on the next at bat for a 2-0 Crusader lead.
CU tacked on four more runs in the fourth on the strength of a RBI single to right center by Stoltz, an RBI single down the right field line from Peterson and a two-RBI single through the right side by Alvich for a 6-0 lead.
Stefano would earn her second win of the day and improve to 15-5 on the season after striking out six and walking none in 6.0 scoreless innings pitched.
Sophomore Michelle Greenawalt (Houston, Pa./Chartiers Houston HS) threw the seventh inning and allowed one earned run on three hits to finish the day in the circle for Capital.
The Crusaders are scheduled to return to action on Monday with a non-conference doubleheader at Mount St. Joseph beginning at 3:30 p.m.