OBERLIN, Ohio - April 20, 2022 – Hiram College softball ran its win streak to four on Wednesday at Culhane Field, sweeping the Oberlin College Yeowomen to move to 13-11 (6-2 NCAC) on the year. The Terriers took game one in a run-rule shortened five innings, 9-1, before coming back from an early deficit to top the Yeowomen in game two, 5-4, dropping Oberlin to 7-21-1 (1-12 NCAC) on the year.
GAME ONE: HIRAM 9, OBERLIN 1 (5 INNINGS)
Hiram quickly got to Yeowomen starter Katie Austin, as
Melissa Galindo led off with a double to center, and came around to score on
Kylie Perez's RBI single to give the Terriers a 1-0 lead.
And though the Terriers would leave runners on in each of the first three frames,
Darian Kanno put together a dominant outing in the circle, striking out the side in the first and allowing just one base runner over the first three frames.
In the top of the fourth though, Hiram again broke through, this time with three runs on four hits to extend their lead.
Abriana Schwartz gave the Terriers another runner in scoring position with a leadoff double, and
Leah Valdez moved her to third with a sacrifice bunt. Galindo then brought Schwartz home with an RBI double down the left-field line, before a batter later,
Giselle Bahena stroked a single to center, scoring Galindo to make it a 3-0 Hiram lead.
Kanno then helped herself out with an RBI double to right-center, scoring Bahena to give the Terriers a 4-0 advantage.
Kanno kept things rolling with a 1-2-3 fourth before Hiram put up a crooked number in the top of the fifth.
Natalie Mallas got things started with a one-out double to left-center and took third on a passed ball. Schwartz then walked, and Valdez reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Mallas from third to make it 5-0 in favor of the Terriers.
A single to left by Galindo then loaded the bases for Perez, whose RBI single scored Schwartz from third to make it 6-0 Hiram. Bahena then cleared the bases with a three-run double, capping off the five-run inning for the Terriers.
Kanno then looked to finish things off in the bottom of the fifth, but with two outs and a runner on second, Mia Brito spoiled the freshman's no-hit bid with an RBI single, cutting Hiram's lead to 9-1. However, Kanno got the next batter to ground out to finish off the 9-1, run-rule shortened, five-inning victory.
Kanno (3-4) earned the win, allowing just one run on one hit, while walking two and striking out six over 5.0 innings pitched. Austin (2-7) took the loss for Oberlin, allowing all nine runs on 13 hits over 4.1 innings pitched.
Four Terriers tallied multiple hits, led by three-hit performances from Bahena and Galindo. Bahena went 3-for-3 with a walk, double, run scored and four RBI, while Galindo went 3-for-4 with two doubles, three runs scored and an RBI.
GAME TWO: HIRAM 5, OBERLIN 4
Hiram again got things rolling with two runs in the top of the first. Galindo drew a hit-by-pitch to lead off the frame, stole second and took third on a throwing error by the catcher. A batter later, Bahena walked to put runners at the corners for Kanno, who reached on an infield, bunt single and took second on a throwing error, scoring both Bahena and Galindo to give the Terriers a 2-0 lead.
However, this time, the Yeowomen came right back to tie things up in the bottom of the frame. Haley Bartsch drew a leadoff walk, stole second and came around to score on Cat Moruzzi's RBI single to cut the Terriers' lead to 2-1. After Loren Carter flew out to right, advancing Moruzzi to third, Kathryn Beeman tied things up with a safety squeeze, bringing home Moruzzi to even the score at 2-2.
And after the Terriers went in order in the top of the second, the Yeowomen took their first lead of the doubleheader in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Alaina Di Dio drew a hit-by-pitch, and Brito followed with a two-run blast to center, giving Oberlin a 4-2 lead.
The Terriers though, quickly got one back in the top of the third. Perez smashed a one-out double down the right-field line, and Bahena followed with another double, this one to left-center, to cut Oberlin's lead down to one, 4-3.
Hiram then made a pitching change, bringing in Kanno from third to replace
Jeskari Rodriguez, and although the Yeowomen loaded the bases, Kanno got Brito to fly out to right to end the threat and keep Oberlin from extending their lead.
Neither team could get much going in the fourth or fifth before Hiram looked to tie things up in the top of the sixth. After Kanno reached on a fielder's choice,
Viviana Macias, pinch-hitting for Rodriguez, hit a double to left, putting the go-ahead run on second with just one out. Schwartz then doubled to center, bringing both runs home to give Hiram a 5-4 lead.
With the lead in hand, Kanno worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth, and although the Yeowomen threatened with two two-out base runners in the bottom of the seventh, Kanno got Beeman to ground into a fielder's choice to end the threat and finish off the 5-4 victory.
Kanno (4-4) again earned the win, keeping the Yeowomen off the scoreboard over five innings of relief, walking one and striking out eight. Rodriguez got the start for Hiram and allowed four runs on three hits over 2.0 innings pitched.
For Oberlin, Di Dio (3-7) took the loss, allowing five runs, four earned, on five hits over 5.1 innings pitched.
Bahena again led the Terriers at the plate, going 1-for-1 with two walks, a double, a run scored and RBI, while Schwartz went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
Hiram next hosts the Kenyon College Ladies for its Senior Day matchup on Saturday, April 23 at 1 p.m. at Myrtis E. Herndon Field.
