ADRIAN, Mich. – The Adrian College softball team extended its winning streak to five games with a pair of wins in a sweep of Ohio Wesleyan on Sunday, March 24 in the team's home opener. The Bulldogs won 7-6 on a walk-off walk in game one and then ended the second game after five innings with a 9-0 thrashing, with all nine runs coming in the bottom of the second inning.

THE BASICS

Game One Scoreline: Adrian 7-11-1 | Ohio Wesleyan 6-16-2

Game Two Scoreline: Adrian 9-9-0 | Ohio Wesleyan 0-4-1

Location: Adrian, Mich. (Adrian College Softball Field)

Records: AC 8-4, OWU 4-12

HOW IT HAPPENED

Adrian scored in the bottom of the first in the first game when senior Paige Cubberly doubled to left to score sophomore Jamie Bell. The Bulldogs doubled their lead in the fourth when junior Madison Budde hit a sac fly to right, scoring freshman Katie Connolly.

Ohio Wesleyan tied it up in the top of the sixth with a two-run single. The tie didn't last long, as the Bulldogs scored three in the bottom of the sixth to pull ahead again. Freshman Taylor Shimp doubled to left center to score junior Infinity Rogers and fellow freshman Lauren McCulligh homered to left with Budde on base to open a three-run lead.

The Battling Bishops tied the game up in the top of the seventh with a home run of their own, a three-run shot to right center to level the game with one swing. OWU then scored with the bases loaded to take its first lead of the game, but didn't get any more as Cubberly was able to pitch out of the jam.

Adrian was determined not to lose, and Budde singled to second base with the bases loaded and two outs to score junior Ashley Lenington. The next batter was sophomore Alaina Macksoud, faced with the situation that every young player dreams of: bottom of the seventh, tie game, bases loaded with a full count. Macksoud relied on her batter's eye and it didn't fail her, drawing a walk to win the game for the Bulldogs.

It was all AC in the second game, with the offense coming out in full force in the second inning. McCulligh drew a walk to start the inning and scored the game's first run when she scored on a fielder's choice on Macksoud's at bat. Bell then singled up the middle to score McCulligh and keep the bases loaded.

Senior Natalia Younan drew another walk to bring home Macksoud and then senior Krista Lynch hit a double over the center fielder's head to bring home Bell and junior Destiny Rogers. Cubberly was the next batter and singled to right to score Younan and move Lynch to third, putting runners on the corners.

The Black and Gold then executed the double steal to perfection, as Cubberly took second, allowing Lynch to slide safely into home on the throw. After McCulligh flied out to pick up the second out of the inning, Connolly doubled to right center to bring home Cubberly. The last run of the game came on the next at bat, when Infinity Rogers hit another double, this one to left field to score Connolly.

Cubberly was on the mound for the entirety of the second game, and it was easy goings for the senior as she only needed 48 pitches to get through the 18 batters she faced, only allowing four base runners the whole game. The win gives the Bulldogs their fifth-straight, a new record in the Ashley Marinacci era as head coach, and the program's longest winning streak since AC won six in a row to open the 2015 campaign.

TOP DAWGS

• Budde and McCulligh each had two RBIs in the first game while Lynch added two in the second.

• Bell had four hits over the two games to lead the team.

• Cubberly picked up the win in both games, pitching a total of six innings and giving up no runs on seven hits, with one strikeout and no walks. Freshman Natalie Mathers started the first game and went five and a third innings, giving up two runs on eight hits with one strikeout.

THE OPPOSITION

• Madi Drabick had the three-run homer in the first game for Ohio Wesleyan.

• Kennedy Sattler and Drabick each had three hits in the first game and Drabick picked up hits in both of her at bats in the second game for a two-game total of five.

• Erica Buchana took the loss in the first game, giving up two runs (neither earned) on three hits while picking up just two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Nicole Peak was credited with the loss in the second game after giving up the first six runs in an inning and a third of work. Peak gave up three hits and walked another three in her 11 batters faced.

UP NEXT

The Bulldogs are back in action again tomorrow when Defiance comes to town for a doubleheader on Monday, March, 25, with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.

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