Softball reaches postseason for first time since 2003

Junior Jamie Smrdel and senior Ashley Lippert are two of the reasons why the softball team is headed to the OAC Tournament.

The John Carroll University softball team got some help from Ohio Northern University to get the fourth and final postseason spot.

The John Carroll University softball team entered last Wednesday’s doubleheader against Mount Union College feeling pretty good about their playoff chances.

But after being swept by the Purple Raiders, that feeling changed.

In game one against Mount Union, nothing seemed to go right for the Blue Streaks. Sophomore pitcher Sam Thompson was roughed up for eight runs in three and two-thirds innings.

She got little help from her teammates as the defense committed three errors and the offense managed just three hits for the afternoon.

In game two, the Blue Streaks were able to slow down the Purple Raiders offense. Senior pitcher Ashley Lippert was able to limit Mount Union to just two runs over seven innings, but the offense was shutout again.

The Blue Streaks finished the doubleheader with just six hits in 12 innings.

With the pair of losses, JCU dropped to 9-7 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Blue Streaks would need to sweep Marietta College, then have Ohio Northern  University sweep Capital University in a doubleheader to have a realistic shot at the postseason.

And that is exactly what happened.

Even though their playoff chances were slim, the Blue Streaks kept their heads high and took care of what they could control by sweeping Marietta. It took extra innings in both games.

Thompson rebounded from her tough start against Mount Union and gave her team a chance to win. She went seven innings and allowed just two runs before turning it over to Lippert.

After JCU scored twice in the top of the 11th inning, Marietta pitcher Erin Faulkner smashed a two-run home run to extend the game.

In the 12th inning, Thompson led off for JCU with a double. After senior Beth Bachman grounded out, senior Jenn Nairne was able to reach base on an error.

Both Thompson and Nairne advanced one base on a passed ball.

Senior Staci Ziobert popped up to third base, bringing junior Tricia Kuenzig to the plate.

Kuenzig doubled to left, scoring Thompson and Nairne to give the Blue Streaks a 6-4 lead.

Lippert shut the door in the 12th inning to preserve the victory.

 The excitement in game one was matched in game two.

The Blue Streaks trailed by a score of 5-2 entering the seventh and final inning. Knowing that their season was on the line, JCU came through in the clutch.

Senior Kelly D’Amato and sophomore Julie Marlowe both singled to start the seventh, putting runners at first and second with nobody out.

Kuenzig laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved D’Amato and Marlowe up a base. With first base open, the Pioneers elected to intentionally walk senior Jamie Smrdel to load the bases.

Thompson then walked with the bases loaded to bring in a run and make the score 5-3. Next up to bat was Bachman, who singled to left to bring JCU within one.

After Nairne flied out to center field, freshman Angela Vistocco came through in the clutch with a two-out single to left to bring in pinch-runner freshman Jamie Colley to tie the game at five.

After Lippert shutdown the Pioneers offense in the seventh, the game headed to extra innings.

JCU loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth. Bachman hit a grounder to the second baseman who threw the ball away. The throwing error allowed the Blue Streaks to score two unearned runs and take a 7-5 lead.

Lippert retired the Pioneers in order in the eighth inning to give the Blue Streaks the sweep they desperately needed.

After 20 innings of softball, the exhausted Blue Streaks received some great news: Capital University was swept by Ohio Northern University, putting JCU back into the OAC playoffs for the first time since 2003.

“It took a total team effort to get here,” said Thompson. “Somebody different stepped up each game.”

The Blue Streaks will battle No. 1 seed and tournament host Muskingum College tomorrow afternoon. The Blue Streaks lost a pair of games to the Muskies by two runs each back in early April.

However, this is a different Blue Streak team. Lady luck seems to be on the side of JCU as of late.