Emmalee Cooke

Maddy Chase

The College of Wooster softball team wrapped up its spring break schedule, which featured two games against nationally-ranked competition, with a 7-9 record after winning three of its last five games down south at Clermont, Fla.

In the first of two games this spring break against Wesleyan (Conn.) University, the Scots (7-9) bounced back from a 3-1 first-inning deficit to top the Cardinals 5-4 on Sunday.

First-year pitcher Olivia Johnson earned her second win of the season with two earned runs allowed through 6.1 innings while classmate Marissa Norgrove checked off her first collegiate save after recording the final two outs with the game's tying run at the plate.

Against Wesleyan (6-5), Wooster halved a two-run deficit in the third before taking the lead for good with a two-run fifth inning. First-year Heidi Likins went 2-for-4 with an RBI and junior Chelsea Copley scored two runs.

Later that afternoon, Wooster fell 12-1 in five innings to then-undefeated Tufts University (7-2). The Elephants opened with three runs in the first before eventually surpassing the 10-run mark with a six-run fifth inning. First-year Emmalee Cooke went 2-for-3 from the plate and recorded Wooster's lone RBI, which scored classmate Alexis Bauer.

The following day against then-undefeated Calvin (9-1), the Scots never led during the 8-2 loss. Johnson and Norgrove each pitched three innings, allowing a combined four earned runs. In the box, Likins went 2-for-3 with an RBI while senior Anna Blake tallied the Scots' second RBI on a groundout to third.

Wooster responded in the nightcap with a 5-0 shutout over Bowdoin College (8-3), led by seven scoreless innings from senior Maddy Chase, who struck out three and allowed five total hits.

The Scots did most of their damage in the first, piling on four runs before tacking on their fifth in the fourth.

In the first inning, Chase drew a leadoff walk before eventually scoring on a bases-loaded walk from Likins. After two unearned runs by Cooke and sophomore Marina Roski, Likins touched home plate on, again, a bases-loaded walk. 

Two scoreless innings later, Cooke reached on a single to second base before stealing second with Roski at the plate. From there, Roski launched an RBI double to left field as part of a 2-for-3 batting performance.

The Scots took Tuesday off and, on Wednesday, made it two wins in a row with a 3-1 win over Farmingdale State SUNY (0-8) before splitting the spring break series against Wesleyan (Conn.) in a 2-0 loss.

Johnson earned her third win of the season against Farmingdale, allowing three hits and no earned runs through six innings. Norgrove came in for one inning to earn her second save of the year and tie alumnae Jenn Horton (13') and Andrea Kelley ('09) for the second-most career saves in program history. The North Coast Athletic Conference single-season record is six.

Down 1-0 heading into the top of the third against the Rams, first-year Rachel Ginsburg stole second after a bunt single before Cooke reached on a single to the shortstop. Up next, Roski connected on her sixth double of the season to right center, scoring two and the tallying the game-winning RBI.

Wooster tacked on an insurance run in the fifth, with Chase scoring her 12th run of the year on a single from Roski down the left field line.

Against Wesleyan, Chase went seven full innings, allowing two runs and striking out seven in the 2-0 loss.

Wooster posed their biggest threat in the bottom of the seventh after a one-out double from sophomore Morgan Bailey to bring the tying run to the plate. After a strike-out from sophomore Savanna Hitlan, pinch-hitting for Ginsburg was Blake, who grounded out to the pitcher to end the game.

On Thursday morning, Wooster tallied its third win in the last four games with a 3-1 victory over Manchester University (4-7).

Norgrove went five innings with one earned run before Chase came in for the two-inning save - the third of her career - to tie alumna Trish Gordon ('03) for most career saves in program history.

Likins opened the games' scoring in the bottom of the first, scoring Chase from third on a fielder's choice. From there, Roski crossed home on an RBI groundout from Copley before Bailey belted an RBI double to left center to score Likins.

Manchester's Laurren Ladwig homered in the fourth to draw within two, while Norgrove did not allow a hit in the top half of the fifth.

With two outs down in the top of the seventh with the tying run at the plate, Chase, who came in to pitch at the start of the sixth inning, got Manchester's Kristin Connors to line out to short before recording the final out on a pop-up foul ball to first base.

The Scots wrapped up play in Florida with a 6-3 loss to Western New England University (4-6). Wooster took an initial 2-0 lead in the top of the first behind runs from Chase and Roski, the latter of whom stole home. Up later after two and a half innings, the Golden Bears scored three in the third to take the lead for good. Cooke, Roski, and Copley each tallied two hits while Likins recorded the Scots' only RBI.

Up next, Wooster returns home to Galpin Park for a doubleheader against Ohio Northern University (10-2) on Wednesday, March 28, with first pitch slated for 3:30 p.m.