Urbana Splits with Bears Again
Erin Dowdell and Kayla Nenninger both go 4-for-6 in series
URBANA, Ohio (April 26, 2008) – The Blue Knight softball team dropped a game, 5-4, and rallied back to win the second game, 6-3, in an American Mideast Conference doubleheader against Shawnee State (18-15, 7-11 AMC) Saturday. Urbana (18-15, 9-7 AMC) and SSU ended up splitting the season series 2-2.
In game one, Shawnee State put two on the board in the third inning, but let the Blue Knights back in it with two errors in the bottom half of the third. Freshman Kayla Nenninger, who swung a hot bat and went 4-for-6 on the day, started the inning with a single to right center. Senior Erin Dowdell (pictured left), who also had a solid day and went 4-for-6, followed with a single up the middle. An SSU error loaded up the bases and then sophomore Brittany Heunen delivered a one-run single. Senior Jackie Masur put the ball in play and reached by error, while Dowdell and junior Erica Schroeder both scored to put Urbana up, 3-2. The Bears answered with two in the fourth, with two bases-loaded walks. Shawnee State scored again in the seventh to go up, 5-3. Urbana mounted a comeback with three consecutive hits to start off the seventh. The Blue Knights scored one to pull within one run, but Shawnee State turned a double play and got a strikeout to end the inning. Nenninger, Heunen and Dowdell each had two hits for Urbana; and Schroeder had one. Urbana had seven hits to the Bears’ four.
The Blue Knights, who have not been swept in a conference double header this season, bounced back and picked up the 6-3 decision in game two. Urbana scored first this time, notching two runs in the second. Freshman Tami Lasley started off the inning with a single up the middle. Freshman Danielle Finley followed with a single of her own. Nenninger singled to load the bases. Dowdell found an opening on the right side for a two-run single. SSU once again had an answer and tied the game, 2-2, in the third. The Bears took the lead on a solo shot by Amanda Avery in the fifth. Urbana used a huge sixth inning to take the lead for good. Lasley opened the inning with a single and Finley crushed the ball over the centerfield fence to regain the lead for the Blue Knights. Junior Jessica Tuttle and Nenninger followed with consecutive hits. Heunen cracked a two-run double to left field to give Urbana some insurance. Urbana ended up not needing the insurance runs, shutting down SSU as Lasley and Masur made keys stops and accounted for the last three outs. Finley (6-4) picked up the win on the mound, striking out two.
Urbana hosts Ohio Dominican University this Tuesday, April 29 at 3 p.m. in an AMC doubleheader.
