JCU on outside looking in at postseason

Sophomore third baseman Julie Marlowe and the rest of the Blue Streaks went 3-3 on the week. They are currently fifth in the OAC.

Team to end regular season on Saturday with big games at Marietta

The John Carroll University women’s softball team was riding high after a doubleheader sweep of Otterbein College, extending their winning streak to four. However, Notre Dame College ended the streak by sweeping JCU in a doubleheader on Friday.

JCU looked to improve their postseason position against Otterbein, a team that is in the basement of the Ohio Athletic Conference standings.

“Every game is so important for us coming down the stretch,” said junior outfielder Jenny Eden. “We need to execute and play the way we know how to. If we do, things will take care of themselves.”

The team took care of business by sweeping the Cardinals by scores of 4-2 and 9-4.

In the first game, Otterbein took the lead in the top of the third inning on a solo home run.

The score remained 1-0 in favor of the Cardinals until the bottom of the fifth inning when Eden pinch hit and delivered a two-out single that allowed senior Staci Ziobert to tie the game.

The Blue Streaks bats caught fire in the bottom of the sixth inning as they scored three runs as a result of two Cardinals errors.

Ziobert ripped a shot down the left field line to score senior Bethany Bachman and freshman Angela Vistocco, giving JCU a 3-1 lead.

Junior Tricia Kuenzig would drive in the final run of the game on an infield single to score sophomore Laura Boselovic from third base.

Sophomore Samantha Thompson once again pitched well, giving up only six hits and two earned runs in seven innings to improve her record to 8-8 on the year.

In the second game, JCU’s offense delivered as they jumped out to an early 5-0 lead after two innings.

The Blue Streaks looked like they had the game under control until Lauren Tibjash of Otterbein cracked a three-run home run in the fourth inning. Another Cardinal run cut the deficit to one.

With the score 5-4 in favor of JCU, junior Jamie Smrdel delivered as she hit a two-run home run to put the game out of reach, 7-4.

This was her fifth home run of the year and 22nd of her career, setting a JCU school record. The Blue Streaks added two more runs in the inning, increasing their lead and winning, 9-4.

Heading into last Friday’s game against Notre Dame College, the Blue Streaks were on a four-game winning streak.

In both games, just one big inning was enough to put away JCU, as they allowed NDC to score in only two out of 17 innings.

The Blue Streaks gave up a four-run tenth inning to lose the first game by the score of 4-3. In the second game, a four-run first inning was again enough for NDC as the Blue Streaks could muster just one run, falling 4-1.

“It’s frustrating losing these kind of games,” Eden said. “We will have to regroup and prepare for our next game.”

The women were certainly prepared as they jumped on Wilmington 9-1 in game one behind the offensive firepower of sophomore Julie Marlowe on Sunday.

JCU lost 7-6 in the second game to fall to 15-17 overall and 9-5 in league play.

The Blue Streaks are currently in fifth place, with the top four teams advancing to the OAC postseason tournament starting on May 4.