Softball suffers heartbreaking extra-inning loss in OAC Softball Tournament Championship game

The Muskingum softball team suffered a heartbreaking extra-inning loss against Ohio Northern in the Ohio Athletic Conference Softball Tournament Championship Series finale on Sunday, 5-3. With the setback, Muskingum ends the season at 29-14.

Notables

• The eight-inning game marked the first time in OAC Tournament history that the championship was decided in extra innings.
• The OAC Tournament runner-up finish for the Muskies is the seventh in program history. The Muskies have won a league-best 18 tournament championships since the inception of the tournament in 1985.
• With the win, Ohio Northern (24-18-1) claimed its sixth OAC Tournament Championship and received the OAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

How it Happened

• Ohio Northern grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, scoring one run off of one hit.
• The Polar Bears extended their lead to 2-0 in the third inning on Abby Elliott's RBI triple.
• Muskingum scored three runs off of one hit in the bottom of the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. The Muskies took advantage of a pair of Polar Bear errors.
• Muskingum had the chance to add to their lead in the bottom of the sixth with a runner on third and one out - but an ONU double play ended the inning.
• With one out in the top of the seventh, ONU's Gabby Stewart reached on a Muskie error and advanced to second. 
• Ohio Northern's Brady Guest then reached base on an outfield error which allowed the game-tying run to score.
• The Muskies had a runner on second with one out in the bottom of the seventh - but a strikeout and fly out ended the threat.
• In the top of the eighth with two outs, ONU's Lauren Renner singled. Then Sydney Motylinski belted a two-run home run to left-center to give the Polar Bears a 5-3 lead.
• In the bottom of the eighth, the Muskies went down in order to end the game.

Inside the Numbers

• Muskingum scored three runs on five hits and committed a pair of errors. The Muskies left four runners on base.
• Ohio Northern scored five runs on six hits and had two errors. The Polar Bears left five runners on base.
• Senior Bailey Waitkus led Muskingum, going 2-for-3 with a triple and run scored.
• Junior Cristianna Boggs, junior Katie Osburn, and senior Francesca Stefano all added a hit. Stefano also registered an RBI.
• Senior Hannah Duff started the game, went three innings, and allowed two runs off two hits.
• Junior Hannah Smith tossed the final five innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits.
• Renner led ONU, going 3-4 with an RBI and run scored.
• Motylinski added the game-winning two-run home run.
• Stacey Walters fired all eight innings and allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits.