Alice Lloyd softball hosts Ohio Christian University in challenging doubleheader

Pippa Passes, KY:  On March 19th, the Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles softball team faced the Ohio Christian University Lady Trailblazers in a doubleheader. The hosts would battle hard before dropping a pair of close games. ALC's record now sits at 12-12 (1-7 RSC), while OCU moves to 5-11 (3-5 RSC).

Game 1

Alice Lloyd-0; OCU-2

The visitors won in a game controlled by pitching.

For the first three innings, both clubs managed a scattering of hits, but defense ruled as nobody was able to score. This finally changed in the fourth.

In that inning, OCU opened with a double and single. While another single plated the game's first run (1-0), Lady Eagle pitcher Maleigh McDaniel limited the damage by retiring the side.

In the sixth, the Buckeye squad sandwiched a single between a pair of errors, permitting another unearned score. Ohio Christian now led 2-0.

The Pippa Passes posse had opportunities in their final two at-bats. In the bottom of the sixth, they would place a pair of runners on base but ground into an inning-ending out. Then in the seventh, Aspyn Branham (3B) opened with a hot double. Unfortunately, the next three batters all flied out to end the match.

At the plate, the Lady Eagles were held to just 5 hits with Branham accounting for 2 of those. McDaniel, Mckenzie Orfield (SS), and Ellie Keene (C) each singled.

McDaniel suffered the tough loss on the mound as she allowed 10 hits but just 1 earned run with 0 walks and 3 strikeouts.

The victorious squad would help themselves by hitting 4 doubles. They also committed just 1 error compared to ALC's 3.

Game 2

Alice Lloyd- 7; OCU-9 (Nine Innings)

ALC roared back to send the contest into extra-innings only to fall in a heartbreaker.

The hosts started off on the right foot in the second. After an error, a single from Keene, and a fielder's choice loaded the bases, Chloe Taylor (2B) smacked a two-out double to clear them and give her club a 3-0 lead.

In their next at-bat, the Trailblazers drove in a score with a single of their own (3-1), only to see the Lady Eagles earn that right back as Keene laced another hit to deliver the goods (4-1).

The fifth inning proved disastrous for the Caney Creek crew as OCU used a pair of doubles, two singles, and two crucial errors from the hosts to produce 5 runs. Suddenly, the Ohio squad led 6-4.

Things would turn bleaker for the home fans in the sixth when OCU brought her home on a ground ball after advancing a runner to third base. The Trailblazers now would take a 7-4 cushion into the final inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Bluegrass girls responded.  First, Taylor and Orfield drew walks, then a grounder delivered one run (7-5). Next, after McDaniel drew another walk, Branham smashed a double to knot the score at 7-7.

With a runner still on second, the hosts had a golden opportunity to pull off the comeback right there, but a long fly ball was caught for the third out, sending the match into extra innings.

Both squads would go down quietly in the eighth, but OCU was anything but quiet in the ninth, opening with a trio of doubles to produce a pair of scores (9-7).

Now, in desperate need of another miracle, the Lady Eagles were finally subdued in the bottom of the inning, handing the hard-fought game to OCU.

For the Eagles, Branham and Keene each rapped 2 hits, while Taylor's 3 RBIs led in that category.

On the mound, Kirsten Vice started and went 4.1 innings. She allowed just 5 hits and 3 earned runs while striking out 1 and walking 1.

Rylee Cox relieved and went 4.2 innings. She gave up 5 hits and 3 earned runs while whiffing 2 and walking 1.

 The Bluegrass ladies would be outhit 10-6, but 6 errors would prove to be a difference-maker.