NASHVILLE, TN – Lipscomb Softball finished up their second and last day of the Purple & Gold Tournament, splitting with the Northern Iowa Panthers and Ohio Bobcats. The Bisons beat the Bobcats and fell to the Panthers yesterday, and split day two of the series in a win against the Panthers and a loss to the Bobcats.
NORTHERN IOWA 3, LIPSCOMB 5
Lipscomb entered the game with a chip on their shoulders after taking a 6-9 loss to the Panthers last evening. The Bisons allowed only two hits in the first two innings and
Tori Womack made a big double play in the top of the second.
The Bisons went three up three down in the bottom of the second, each batter striking out at the plate.
Northern Iowa was the first team to record a run on a single to right field. The Panthers sent two runners home for unearned runs. In the next at-bat, the Panthers singled to shortstop for a 3-0 lead.
Sophomore captain
Alyssa Hastings took the three-run lead personally. In the bottom of the third with two on base and no outs, Hastings launched the call to right field for 3 RBI.
Grace Cassarello, pinch running for
Macey Ogle,
Macyn Kirby, and Hastings's runs tied the game up at 3-3, forcing the Panthers to relieve their pitcher.
The Bisons went three up three down again in the bottom of the fourth with two batters striking out swinging. Laine responded in the top of the fifth with two strikeouts of her own, but the Bisons were unable to score any runs once they returned to the plate in the top of the inning.
Lipscomb took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth. With one out,
Mallory Ogle tripled to center field for the Bisons' first triple of the season.
Ella Polk pinch hit for Womack and reached first on a fielder's choice. Mal.Ogle slid home for Lipscomb's first lead of the game.
Kirby reached first on a fielder's choice for runners on first and second with two outs. Hastings stepped up to the plate and singled to right field for an RBI to send Mac.Ogle home. The Bisons entered the seventh inning up 5-3.
Alyssa Hastings was a bright spot in the Bisons' win, going 4-4 on the afternoon with one run, four RBI, a double, and a home run.
Macey Ogle made it on base at both of her at-bats with one hit and one run.
Barefoot pitched all seven innings, allowing eight hits and recording five strikeouts on 32 batters faced.
OHIO 5, LIPSCOMB 4
After earning their first win of the tournament against the Panters earlier in the morning, Ohio took to the field with fire lit underneath them. The Bobcats forced two walks to lead the game off before scoring a run on a ground out. Leading into the second, the Bisons were already at a 0-1 deficit.
The second inning was slow for both squads with the Bobcats recording no runs on one hit and leaving two on base and the Bisons recording no runs on one hit and three left on base.
By the middle of the third, the Bobcats extended their lead to two runs. The Bisons reached one runner on base by a HBP but were unable to convert any runs.
Ohio capitalized in the fourth, scoring three earned runs on two hits and forcing an error. The Bisons went three up three down, down 0-4 leading into the fifth.
Macey Ogle relieved Sauer from the circle in the top of the sixth and with bases loaded, Mac.Ogle closed the inning out.
The Bisons kept the Bobcats to no runs and no hits in the top of the seventh and began clawing back to a victory. Hastings singled to center field for two RBI with runs from
Grace Cassarello, pinch running for
Ella Polk, and
Lucy Ream, pinch running for Mac.Ogle.
With two outs and Hastings on base,
Brenna Sherman launched a homer to right field to cut the lead to one point.
The inning ended shortly after on a flyout and despite the Bisons' best effort, the Bobcats took the 5-4 victory.
Brenna Sherman highlighted Lipscomb's offense, hitting 2-3 with and earned a HBP with one run, two RBI, and one home run. E.Polk went 2-3 on the evening, recording 12 putouts in the process.
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will play a mid-week contest against local rival Belmont on Wednesday, Mar. 5
th. The Bruins will host the matchup, which is set to take place at 4:00 PM.
