Oberlin, Ohio - The Oberlin College softball team fell to the visiting Capital Comets 10-1 and 10-9 on Tuesday evening at Culhane Field.
While it was all Comets in game one, it was a much different story in the nightcap in what was a wild back-and-forth affair as the two foes combined for 27 hits, 19 runs, and seven errors with five of the miscues coming from the victorious Comets.
Senior
Haley Bartsch led the offensive effort with three hits while
Maria Chutko and
Mia Brito each posted a pair in the setback.
Two home runs had the Comets out in front 3-0 after two innings of play but the Oberlin offense would come to life in the home half of the third, scoring four runs in the inning to take the lead. First-year
Haley Carlson, who had three hits in the lid-lifter, got the rally rolling with a two-run single that plated
Daisha Bouknight and Chutko. Moments later, Oberlin's aggressive base running would pay off as a throwing error by the Comets' catcher allowed the game-tying run to score before
Loren Carter lifted a sacrifice fly to right field that allowed Brito to trot home for the go-ahead tally.
Unfortunately, the lead was short-lived as Krislyn Bayles poked a two-out two-run homer to left center in the top of the fourth as Capital retook the lead 5-4.
The seesaw battle continued on in the bottom of the frame as Oberlin took advantage of two errors in the inning, which set the table for Brito's two-out bases-loaded two-run double down the left field line to reclaim the lead at 6-5.
Sadly things would unravel a bit for Oberlin starter
Katie Austin in the sixth she got touched up for four runs in the inning before giving way to
Calliope Lissak who did a masterful job in securing the final two outs of the inning to keep Oberlin within striking distance.
Brito would come up clutch for the Yeowomen again in the sixth, belting another RBI double to make it a 9-7 Capital advantage heading into the final frame.
Capital would get a big insurance run in the top of the seventh as Lexie Leggett hit her second home run of the game and third of the day to extend the cushion out to three.
However, the never-say-die attitude for Oberlin shined through in the bottom of the seventh, nearly pulling off the improbable comeback.
Lalli Lopez started a two-out rally with a single to center and first-year
Kailey Dunham followed with a clutch single to put runners on the corners and bring the tying run to the plate in Chutko. The rookie delivered a two-RBI triple down into the right field corner but unfortunately Comets pitcher Julia Workman got
Alaina Di Dio to pop out to shortstop to end the game.
In game one, Capital led 5-0 after three innings and would leave no doubt in the outcome with five more runs in the top of the seventh.
Oberlin's lone run of the game came on a single in the sixth by Carlson.
The Yeowomen are back in action at home on Thursday afternoon against Baldwin Wallace University. First-pitch of the doubleheader is set for 3:30 p.m.
