SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The College of Wooster softball team scored a season-high 12 runs and defeated Wittenberg University 12-1 in five innings to open North Coast Athletic Conference play on Saturday.
They fell 8-4 in the second game of the doubleheader.
In game one, the Scots scored six in the second inning to take a controlling 7-0 lead. They did it with single after single.
Senior Gabby Lakes led the inning off with a double, and then it was five singles that kept the inning alive.
The Scots later had a four-run fourth where Lakes hit another double to score a run. Then it was Anna Norby who hit a three-run home run, her first of the year, to make it 12-1.
Sophomore Rachael Dudziak went the complete game for her fifth win of the year. She pitched five innings, and the only run she gave up was unearned.
Norby finished 2-for-2 with a walk and scored all three times she was on base. Senior Katie Agatucci went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI.
Sophomore Stephanie Griffin-Sanchez tied Norby with a game-high three RBI. Lakes and Kaydee Clark each wound up with two hits as well.
In game two, the Tigers pounced on starter Daphne Pate, who lasted just two innings and was on the hook for three earned runs. Wittenberg scored five runs in the first two innings; all but the first run came on plays in the infield.
Wittenberg's second run scored on a fielder's choice, and the third came on a bunt. In the second, it became 4-0 because of an error and then 5-0 because of a wild pitch.
Griffin-Sanchez hit a solo shot in the third, and the Scots attempted to chip away in the fourth where they scored three additional runs.
Sarah Lodge scored on an error, Griffin-Sanchez had a sacrifice fly and Molly Likins scored Ciara Herbert on a single up the middle.
Wooster had just five hits in the game and couldn't capitalize on the five errors committed by the Tigers. Addie Tagg pitched 3.1 innings, giving up three earned runs and striking out one. Dudziak got the final two outs.
Wooster moves to 9-11 overall and 1-1 in the NCAC, while Wittenberg moves to 8-9 overall and 1-1 in conference play.
Wooster returns to action Sunday when they travel to 10th-ranked DePauw University.