Softball opens 2009 campaign with victories over Clark, Anna Maria

Courtney Cash

By Tim Glon

| Clark Box Score | Anna Maria Box Score |

CLERMONT, Fla. -- Courtney Cash and Mandi Fought each belted home runs to lead the Ohio Northern softball team to a pair of season-opening victgories Monday afternoon at the National Training Center softball complex.

The Polar Bears (2-0) got a 2-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 5-5 tie and down Clark (Mass.) 7-5 in the season opener.

Northern then blasted Anna Maria (Mass.) 14-1 in five innings in the second game of the day.

Cash (1-0) also earned the win for ONU in the opener, scattering 10 hits and striking out five.

With the score tied at 5-5, Katie Cretin led off the bottom of the sixth with a single. Cash then homered to deep left field, scoring pinch-runner Jenn Smith, to give Northern the 7-5 lead.

Cash then retired Clark in order in the top of the seventh to preserve the win.

Cretin, Cash, Fought, Liz Decima and Kim Blewett  each had two hits to lead the ONU offense.

In the nightcap, Northern pounded out 19 hits in the 14-1 win over Anna Maria that was called after five innings due to the NCAA's 8-run rule.

ONU sent 13 batters to the plate in an 8-run fifth inning that turned a 6-1 lead into a 14-1 decision.

Fought led off the game with an inside-the-park home run and added a 2-run double in the contest.

Danielle Goubeauz was 4-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI and Jackie Mangola was 3-for-3 with two runs scored an one RBI.

The Polar Bears will play twice on Tuesday, facing Moravian (Pa.) at 1:30 pm and Anna Maria at 3:30 pm at the National Training Center's softball complex.