Clermont, Florida – Kicking off their spring break trip, the Oberlin College softball team split their games, losing to Grinnell 11-7 in game one, then took down Keuka 9-4 in game two. The team moves to 1-5 on the year before another big day on the diamond tomorrow.
 
First-year Hailey Alspach earned the start on the mound in the opening game against Grinnell, where she recorded a trio of strikeouts through 4.1 innings. Jess Friedman came in for relief, adding another strikeout before closing the game.
 
Grinnell jumped on the board first after an Oberlin error that allowed the runner to touch home in the first inning. The Pioneers added another pair of runs off a triple early on to sit on a nice 3-0 lead. Leading the nation in stolen bases per game, the Yeowomen capitalized on their strengths and earned their first run as Daisha Bouknight stole home while Mia Brito stole second. Alspach followed that up with another run at home where she earned the run from catcher interference. Still down 4-2, Oberlin gave up a pair of unearned runs behind a two-run homer.
 
Oberlin walked into the sixth inning swinging starting with a Lali Lopez run off the bat of Loren Carter. Haley Bartsch came in next, then Bouknight as first-year Maria Chutko sent the ball out to right field for a triple. The big hitter came back home when Brito singled through the right side. The Yeowomen needed just one more run to tie the game, but the undefeated squad of Grinnell held off the young batters in the final inning to earn an 11-7 victory.
 
In the second game of the day against Keuka, Katie Austin took to the mound and pitched a solid seven innings, accounting for four strikeouts.
 
The Yeowomen played the strategy game in the first inning, with Chutko scoring their first run while Brito tried to steal second base. The trickery continued to cause confusion on the end of the Wolves, allowing Bartsch to advance and Austin to score in a throwing error at third base. Up 2-0 Maya Means singled to left field bringing Douknight home just before Alaina Di Dio hit a 2RBI single. Austin and Chutko rounded the bases yet again in the third and fourth innings to extend Oberlin's lead to seven.
 
Fending off the looming run-rule, Keuka came in clutch in the fourth and fifth innings to tack on four points and avoid the deficit. The Wolves puttered out in the ensuing innings while the Yeowomen continued to add runs for a final score of 9-4.
 
With an incredible 19 bases stolen on the day and 14 of those coming from the Yeowomen's game against Keuka, Oberlin sits at 6.83 stolen bases per game, which is the national leader ahead of East Texas Baptist (4.35 sb/pg).
 
The Yeowomen continue their Florida games tomorrow, March 21 with a pair of morning games. The Crimson and Gold squad first take on Lawrence at 9am before Keuka at 11:30am. A lives stream for both games is available here and live stats will be available here.
 
Fans can watch all the home matches live online. Home contests can be accessed on a TV through the official Oberlin College Sports Network app on Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV.