Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
GAMBIER, Ohio – Maddy Stark and Jane Ghublikian sparked the Kenyon College Ladies softball team to a 2-0 win over Oberlin College in Saturday's first game of a North Coast Athletic Conference doubleheader. The Yeowomen bats then returned fire in game two for a 6-4 win and a split of the two contests.

Stark, a junior pitcher, allowed just five hits in game one and registered her sixth shutout of the season. She tossed all seven innings, struck out seven, and didn't yield a walk. Stark now sports an 8-3 pitching record and a 1.25 earned run average. She also has 85 strikeouts in 84 innings pitched this season.

While Stark tied up the Oberlin offense, Kenyon scored the game's first run in the bottom of the first inning. Ghublikian got things rolling with a walk and then moved to second when Chelsea Delaney drew another walk. She then advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch from Oberlin starting pitcher, Emily King.

In the third inning, Ghublikian scored again. This time she smacked a two-out single into right field, where the Yeowomen misplayed the ball. The error allowed Ghublikian to round the bases and score. She finished the game 2-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored.

The Ladies, who only had four hits in game one, got two from Ghublikian and two sophomore Lindsey Susolik.

In game two, it was King's turn to shine in the pitching circle. After throwing six innings in game one, King went right back to work in game two. She held the Ladies scoreless for the first four innings and watched her Oberlin squad take a 2-0 lead into the fifth inning. The Yeowomen tacked on two more runs in the top and fifth and chased Kenyon starter Sylvie Thomas from the game.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Ladies finally got on the board. King lost her control in the pitchers circle and began walking batters. Kenyon benefitted from her wildness and used two singles and three walks to produce two runs.

In the top of the seventh, already leading 4-2, Oberlin cranked out two unearned runs off Stark, who replaced Thomas in the center of the diamond. Kenyon now faced a 6-2 deficit heading into its final inning of play.

Susolik sparked a rally by leading off the bottom of the seventh inning with a home run to center field. It was her first home run of the season and the second of her Kenyon career. Toni Miller followed up with a single and Delaney walked. Danielle Elizarraraz then singled to load the bases with no outs. Just when things were heating up for the Ladies offense, relief pitcher Katie Pieplow came on for Oberlin and preserved the win by sandwiching a Liz Paterra sacrifice fly with two strikeouts.

The split moves Kenyon's record to 15-7 overall and 1-3 in NCAC play. Oberlin is now 4-12 overall and 1-5 in conference action.