CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – Lakeland Community College softball had enough offensive firepower to win its first two games of the season. The Lakers opened the season by beating Wilmington College JV 12-3 and Ohio University – Chillicothe 19-11 Friday afternoon.
The Lakers begin the regular season 2-0 with the pair of victories.
Lakeland 12 – Wilmington JV 3
Lakeland jumped all over Wilmington JV with seven runs in the first inning and cruised to the 12-3 victory in five innings to open the season.
Kallista Hribar knocked three singles and scored two to lead the Lakers. Dana Turchon only had one hit but she brought in three runs with a triple. Justine Barnes, Cassidy Yarnell and Cameron Malkamaki each had two hits in the win.
Sydney Aey ran into a little trouble after the first inning but finished one inning and picked up the win. Abby Takacs came on in relief and pitched four innings and gave up three hits and zero runs.
Hribar got the big first inning going for Lakeland with a lead-off single and then came in to score on an RBI double by Yarnell for the first run. Barnes and Yarnell later scored on an error for a 3-0 lead. Turchon brought in a pair with a triple to right for the fourth and fifth runs.
Aey helped her cause in the circle with an RBI ground out for a 6-0 lead. Elizabeth Montgomery capped the scoring in the inning with a single to left to give the Lakers a 7-0 lead after a half inning. Wilmington JV chipped into the lead with a single run in the first and two more in the second to get within 7-3.
Sam Szoradi helped to get a run back for Lakeland with an RBI ground out to score Turchon for an 8-3 lead.
Lakeland kept the momentum in the fourth when Barnes tripled to start the inning and then was brought in with a single by Yarnell for a 9-3 lead. Turchon made the score 10-3 with an RBI ground out to score Yarnell.
With the chance to end the game early in the fifth inning, Hribar and Barnes both singled to get on base and then both players scored on an error to give the Lakers a 12-3 lead that would hold up to end the game early.
Lakeland 19 – Chillicothe 11
Lakeland showed fight against Chillicothe as the Lakers trailed 11-8 but stormed back to score the final 11 runs to secure the 19-11 victory in six innings.
Hribar had her second three-hit game of the day with a single, double and a inside the park home run and brought in five runs in the win. Montgomery and Jamie Matso each had three hits in the win while Turchon and Szoradi each brought in a pair of runs.
Nicole Watts came on in relief to pitch the final four innings and gave up one earned run to earn the victory in the circle.
Lakeland struck first in the opening again as Barnes led off with a walk and then scored on a sacrifice fly hit by Hribar for a 1-0 lead. Chillicothe fired back with five runs in the bottom of the first for a 5-1 lead.
The Lakers countered in the second inning as Malkamaki led off inning with a single and later scored on an error to get within 5-2. Barnes scored the third run on an error and then Montgomery followed with an RBI single to center to get within 5-4.
Hribar gave Lakeland a 7-4 lead after an inside the park home run. Yarnell capped off the scoring when she touched home after a passed back to make the score 8-5. The Lakeland lead disappeared with three runs by Chillicothe in the second to tie the game 8-8 Chillicoth later scored three more in the third to take an 11-8 lead but it would be the final runs scored by Chillicothe.
The Lakers didn't trail for long as Hribar started off the fourth with a single and then score on an RBI single blooped into center to get within 11-9. Malkamaki and Matso later scored on an error to tie the game up at 11-11. Nicole Ulogar got into the act with a two-run triple nailed to right to give Lakeland a 13-11 lead. Ulogar later scored on an error to boost the lead to 14-11. Hribar capped the scorin with a double to left to give the Lakers a 15-11 lead.
Lakeland got a little closer to ending the game early when Szoradi walked to start the inning and then scored on an error to make a 17-11 lead.
Looking to end the game in the sixth, Montgomery walked and Hribar reached on an error as both players scored on a Szoradi single to give the Lakers a 19-11 lead that would hold up until the final Chillicothe out.
Lakeland will next travel to Dobson, N.C. to face Surry Community College for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
For more information about Lakeland athletics, visit www.athletics.lakelandcc.edu.
About Lakeland Community College
Founded in 1967, Lakeland Community College was the first college in Ohio created by a vote of the people. True to our mission, Lakeland provides quality learning opportunities to meet the social and economic needs of the community.
Offering day, evening, weekend and online classes, the college serves more than 10,800 credit and 2,800 noncredit students (2016). For more information about the College, visit www.lakelandcc.edu.
