Softball Blanks Cleary - Survives in Extras on Day One of WHAC Tourney

SYLVANIA, OH - UNOH softball battled through the first day of the WHAC Tournament picking up two wins on Wednesday. The Racers shutout six-seed Cleary 7-0 to start the day but needed twelve innings to upset second-seeded Cornerstone 8-4 in a three-and-a-half-hour marathon.

UNOH wasted no time getting the day started scoring six of their seven runs in their first at-bat capped by a three-run Hailee Edgell homer. A two-out RBI single brought in the final run in the home four as the Racers kept Cleary's offense at bay.

Anna Ankney was the only Racer to log multiple hits going 2-2 with one RBI. 

Lanie Wooten tossed her third complete game shutout of the season allowing just three hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

The win advanced UNOH to a matchup with Cornerstone who defeated seven-seed Aquinas 6-3 in their first game. The matchup proved to be one for the ages with momenut swinging back-and-forth and needing almost two full games to decide a winner. 

A lead off single and a walk got things started for the Racers in the top of the first before Dani Keighley blasted a shot over the right field fence for her 13th home run of the season and eighth in ten games. Anna Ankney added another in the second with a double down the line but the Golden Eagles pulled two back in the bottom making a 4-2 game after two. Cornerstone kept chipping away scoring a single run in both the sixth and the seventh to tie the game and force extra innings. 

The defenses stood tall in extras with the teams playing four scoreless frames and combining for just four total hits split 2-2 in that stretch. Finally, it was the Racer offense that broke through in the top of the twelveth with a lead off single followed by an Ankney home run that broke the deadlock. UNOH hit two more singles and took advantage of a walk and a wlid pitch to piece together a four-run frame and take control 8-4. Up against the wall, the Golden Eagles couldn't produce and momentum retiring in order giving the Racers their second win of the day.

Anna Ankney led the way going 3-5 at the dish with three RBI. Matilda Newman finished 3-6, Tess Denning went 2-6 and both Sydney Shaffer and Holly Alvoid ended 2-5 in the game.

Karsyn McGlothen got the start but was forced out in the second inning giving up two runs on two hits with three strikeouts and three walks over an inning and two-thirds. Lanie Wooten (21-7) picked up her second win of the day after entering in the second and finishing the final ten and a third innings. Wooten allowed two runs, one earned, on eight hits with a season high seven strikeouts and five walks.

After a 2-0 start, UNOH is now one win away from the championship game but will have to go through the WHAC's top team to get there. The Racers will take on No. 9 Madonna (43-6) at 6:30 PM Thursday, May 1 with the winner advancing to the title game on Friday. The loser will fall into the bottom half of the bracket and will need to win twice on Friday to force a decisive championship bout on Saturday.