Despite phenomenal pitching in game one and offensive fireworks in game two, the results remained the same as the John Carroll Softball team fell short in both games against Ohio Northern, 0-1 and 3-4 respectively. 

Despite a promising 7-2 start to the season, the Blue Streaks have cooled off since the start of Ohio Athletic Conference play as they have now dropped to 3-7 in conference play and 13-11 overall.

Game One

A pitcher’s duel ensued in game one as Ohio Northern’s Ashley Lenser ‘25 and John Carroll’s Danielle Orendi ‘24 each pitched complete games. 

The first inning was a breeze for both pitchers as they both earned a 1-2-3 inning. The second was much the same as Lenser earned three outs in four batters while Orendi struck out two batters and popped out the third.

The Blue Streak offense produced some hits in the third with Kendall Trunzo ‘25 reaching base on a fielder’s choice. Moments later, Alyssia Carmichael ‘24 singled to right field, allowing Trunzo to advance to third. Despite having runners on first and third, the Blue Streaks were unable to capitalize following a Kaylyn Odelli  ‘25 fly out for the third and final out.

Leaving runners on base has been a detrimental factor in the Blue Streaks recent skid as they are averaging just over four runs per game, which ranks second worst in the OAC.

Ohio Northern’s Lenser continued her hot start with a 1-2-3 inning to begin the fourth. Yet, Orendi answered right back as she struck out two more Polar Bear batters in the fourth to keep the game tied at 0-0.

Lenser’s excellent performance at the plate translated to the batter’s box as well as she began the fifth inning with a single to right field. Polar Bear’s Mariana Alejandro continued the momentum with an RBI single to right field to bring Lenser in for the score. With players on first and third and just one out, the Polar Bears were threatening to blow the game wide open. The threat was quickly diminished following a spectacular play by John Carroll’s Lexie Genovese ‘25, turning a 6-3 double play and ending the inning. 

As Orendi continued to hold off the Polar Bear offense, the Blue Streaks found themselves in great position to tie up the game in the bottom of the sixth. With Trunzo at second and two outs, the veteran Mackenzie Stease ‘23 singled to left field allowing  Trunzo to race for home plate. In a shocking turn of events, in Trunzo’s attempt to reach home plate, she misstepped and missed the plate and was ultimately tagged out for the third and final out to keep the score at 1-0 in favor of Ohio Northern. 

The seventh inning produced much of the same as the Blue Streaks were unable to muster the tying run. Despite Orendi’s terrific performance, which included eight strikeouts against 25 batters faced, the Blue Streaks fell to Ohio Northern, 0-1. 

Game Two

It was a tail of two games as game two consisted of four total home runs. Unfortunately for the Blue Streaks, they were on the latter half of three of them.

Following the top of the first in which John Carroll’s Brianna Callow ‘25 struck out two batters and grounded out the third, Stease ignited the crowd with a two-run homer to give the Blue Streaks a 2-0 lead. 

Ohio Northern’s Sydney Motylinski ‘23 snatched the momentum right back at the top of the second with a home-run of her own to cut the deficit to one. 

The offense cooled off in the next two innings with both offenses leaving runners on base. The Polar Bears came close to tying the game up in the fifth with a runner in scoring position, but yet again, Callow buckled down and earned the third and final out via strikeout. 

Callow finished with seven strikeouts while giving up just 11 hits in 29 batters faced. Meanwhile, Ohio Northern’s Allie Bican ‘23 finished with a season high, 12 strikeouts in 27 batters faced. 

After a scoreless fifth inning, Polar Bear’s Motylinski was back at it with her second solo-homerun to tie the game up at two apiece. The tie was short lived as John Carroll’s Bella Carciopollo ‘26 earned an RBI double to bring Stease in for the score. With a one run lead, the Blue and Gold looked to Callow to fend off the Polar Bear offense and secure the 3-2 lead. 

However, Ohio Northern’s Lauren Walls ‘23 had different plans. Following a Callie Rosser ‘25 double, Walls smashed a two-run homer to left field to give the Polar Bears their first lead of the game at 4-3. Following a pitching change as Emily Graves ‘26 subbed in for Callow, Graves earned the three outs and set the Blue Streaks up for a walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh.

Yet, the Blue Streaks’ struggling offense was evident in the seventh as Bican earned a 1-2-3 inning to defeat the Blue Streaks, 3-4. 

John Carroll will look to rebound in a double-header matchup against their bitter rival in Mount Union on Wed., April 19. Game one begins at 3:00 p.m.