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Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
The Capital University softball team saw its hopes for an OAC Tournament berth dissipate Sunday, falling twice at rival Otterbein in an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader at Westerville, Ohio.
Otterbein (26-14, 11-7) won the first game 6-1 and matched its run total in the nightcap, defeating Capital 6-3.
The Crusaders conclude the 2012 season with a 21-17 overall record, including a 6-10 mark in OAC play. Entering the day, Capital needed to sweep the Cardinals and get help from other teams in the conference to qualify for the tournament. Hope for a postseason bid
was lost with the defeat in the opening contest.
The Cardinals tallied twice in the first inning and held on the rest of the way. The Crusaders halved their deficit in the top of the fifth on a solo home run by freshman Maura Rose (Williamsport, Pa.; at right), but Otterbein responded with two in the bottom of the frame to regain control of the affair.
Rose and junior Devan Boggs (West Jefferson, Ohio) totaled two hits apiece to lead the Capital offense. Freshman pitcher Brooke Billings (Clyde, Ohio) dropped to 2-4 with the loss, starting the game and tossing the first four frames before being lifted for sophomore reliever Jessica Montgomery (Newark, Ohio).
In the second game, the Crusaders were held scoreless over the first four innings before Boggs hit a two-run homer, her seventh of the year, to right center.
Trailing 6-2 in the top of the seventh with two outs, Capital put together a strong rally, but left the bases loaded after freshman Kelsey Swain (Pickerington, Ohio) was hit by a pitch to plate a run.
Boggs led the Crusaders with two more hits, while Billings, juniors Lexi Majoy (Huron, Ohio) and Katie Neely (Sugar Grove, Ohio) added one hit apiece.
Montgomery took the loss, her eighth of the year, after pitching the first 3 2/3 innings. Boggs finished the last 2 1/3 frames in relief.
Capital finishes its season with 37 team home runs, and entered the week ranked fifth in the nation in that category.
