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Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
The Capital University softball team made its path to the Ohio Athletic Conference tournament a little bit more difficult Tuesday, dropping back-to-back contests against Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio.
The Crusaders (20-13 overall, 5-6 OAC) lost 7-4 in the opener before suffering a 5-1 defeat in the second game.
With the setbacks, Capital currently sits outside of the top four in the league standings, who will qualify for the four-team OAC Tournament.
The Crusaders fell behind 5-1 through two innings in the first game and were unable to recover.
Junior Devan Boggs (West Jefferson, Ohio; at right) finished 3-for-4 to lead the Capital offense, while sophomore Courtney Dingess (Johnstown, Ohio) and freshman Kayla Meehan (Hudson, Ohio) contributed with one hit and one run batted in apiece.
Freshman pitcher Alyssa Patznick (Newark, Ohio) started and pitched an uncharacteristically low 1 2/3 innings, dropping to 12-5 on the year with the loss. Classmate Brooke Billings (Clyde, Ohio) tossed the final 4 1/3 in relief.
The Crusaders left five on base in the first three innings and eight runners total for the game. Capital scored one in the first, two in the third and one in the fifth, taking advantage of three Mount Union errors in that frame.
In the nightcap, the Purple Raiders scored four times in the first two innings and didn't look back. The Crusaders plated their lone run in the top of the third, when freshman Kelsey Swain (Pickerington, Ohio) singled in Boggs, who had tripled to center field with one out.
Boggs and Swain finished with two hits apiece to lead Capital. Sophomore pitcher Jessica Montgomery (Newark, Ohio) started and took the loss to move to 6-6 for the season. Billings relieved Montgomery with one out in the second and pitched the remainder of the affair.
The Crusaders return to the diamond this Saturday at home against Wilmington in their final date at Clowson Field this season. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. Prior to the opener, seniors Jessica Stoltz (Englewood, Ohio) and Nikki Franz (Vandalia, Ohio) will be recognized in their final home game at Capital.
