ADA - The Muskingum softball team defeated No. 4-ranked Ohio Northern by a score of 2-1 in extra innings in the opening round of the Ohio Atheltic Conference Tournament Friday afternoon at the ONU Softball Field.

Fourth-seeded Muskingum improves to 22-19 overall and advances into the semifinals where they will play third-seeded John Carroll at approximately 4 pm.

Top-seeded ONU falls to 35-4 and drops into the loser's bracket, where they will play second-seeded Mount Union at approximately 6 pm.

Both starting pitchers threw fantastically, with Muskingum sophomore Carissa Diebler tossing 8.0 innings, allowing just one earned run to improve to 7-7, while ONU senior Cortney Cash allowed two earned runs over 8.0 innings.

The game was a defensive battle the first five and a half innings, as ONU freshman Meghan Anten made several diving catches in left field and Muskingum senior Chloe Moloney stole a number of potential ONU hits ranging at the hot corner.

ONU got on the board first in the bottom of the sixth. Sophomore Kimi Blewett led off the inning with a bloop single and was pinch run for by fellow sophomore Ericka Holcomb. After Anten was walked, sophomore Katie Cretin delivered a two-out RBI bloop single to center to score Holcomb and give ONU the 1-0 lead.

Muskingum answered with a solo home run by sophomore Ashley Price, her second of the season, to tie the game at 1-1.
 

Freshman Chrissy Rankin led off the bottom of the seventh with a bloop single to left field, and was pinch run for by freshman Abbey Bensing. Cash delivered a single to the right center gap, advancing Bensing to third, but Diebler was able to force two more outs to force extra innings.

Muskingum sophomore Chelsea Kaunert led off the eighth with a single and junior Mary Margaret Boda walked. Sophomore Kristyn Heagen delivered with a single to the gap, driving in the go-ahead run for the Muskies.

Blewett walked to lead off the ONU eighth and sophomore Cassie Gaye drilled a single down the left field line, before Anten walked to load the bases. After one out was recorded, ONU was called for runner's interference on a play that appeared to score the tying run, but the bases were instead loaded with two outs. Muskingum then forced a fielder's choice to end the game.

Heagan went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Muskies offensively while Blewett, Gaye, and Cash each had two hits for ONU.