Softball opens 2018 season with victories over DeSales (Pa.) and Muhlenberg (Pa.)

By Tim Glon

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The Ohio Northern softball team opened its 2018 season with a pair of victories at the Sunkissed Games on Sunday afternoon.

The Polar Bears (2-0 overall) started the day with a 2-0 victory over DeSales (Pa.) and ended the day with a 10-5 win over Muhlenberg (Pa.)

In the opener, senior Kirsten Lightel (Tallmadge) threw a 2-hit shutout with seven strikeouts to pick up the win.

ONU scored twice in the second inning on bases-loaded RBI singles by sophomore Athena Triglia (Winchester, Calif./Chaparral) and senior Jenna Hollar (Lima/Bath).

Against the Mules (0-2), Northern pounded out 14 hits with nine different players having at least one, in the win. The offenses were in control early, as ONU held a slim 6-5 lead after the first two innings.

ONU scored three times in the fourth to go up 9-5 and got an insurance run in the seventh to win 10-5.

Junior Hailee Loughman (Brookville) had two hits and three RBI to lead the offense and junior Kaitlin Surdej (Lancaster/Central) struck out six and scattered 10 hits to pick up her first victory of the season in the circle.

The Polar Bears will return to action on Monday morning with games against Thiel (Pa.) at 9 am and against Widener (Pa.) at 11:15 am.