Softball earns split at No. 16 Trine (Ind.)

By Tim Glom

ANGOLA, Ind. -- The Ohio Northern softball team earned a non-conference split at No. 16-ranked Trine (Ind.) Sunday afternoon at the Trine Softball Field.

The Polar Bears won the first game 5-1, only to see the Thunder post an 8-7 win in eight innings in the nightcap.

ONU is now 22-8 overall, while TU is now 30-6 on the season.

In Game 1, senior All-American Jackie Mangola drilled a 2-run home run, her third of the season and her school-record 44th of her career, to give ONU a 2-0 first inning lead.

The Polar Bears would extend their lead to 5-0 with three more runs in the top of the second, keyed by back-to-back RBI singles by seniors Cassie Gaye and Catie Cretin.

Junior Abbey Bensing would make the lead stand up, improving to 9-4 on the year with a complete-game 4-hitter.

In Game 2, freshman Kelly Sheridan drilled a 2-out, 3-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to give ONU a 7-6 lead.

But the Thunder would score single runs in the seventh and eighth frames to salvage the split.

Senior All-American Kimi Blewett drilled a 2-run home run, her team-leading ninth of the season, in the top of the first to give the Polar Bears a quick 2-0 lead.

TU would score four times in the bottom of the first and two more in the bottom of the second to go up 6-2.

Junior Ashley Sujkowski had an RBI single in the top of the fourth to make it 6-3 and Blewett added a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth to pull ONU within 6-4.

Blewett and Gaye each went 4-for-8 on the day.

The polar Bears will return to Ohio Athletic Conference play on Wednesday when they play host to a double header with Capital at 3:30 pm at the ONU Softball Field.

Northern can clinch its fourth consecutive OAc Regular Season title with a win in either game against the Crusaders.