DePauw continued their dominance in Conference play Tuesday afternoon with a double-header sweep of Ohio Wesleyan.
The Tigers (10-11, 4-0) took advantage of the big inning in both games, outscoring the Bishops 17-7. DePauw won game one 6-3 and completed the sweep with an 11-4 win in the nightcap.
“It’s a big two wins for us because [Ohio Wesleyan] took one from Wittenberg, who has annually been our [toughest] rival,” said Head Coach Erica Hanrahan, whose team has now won five games in a row.
With first-year pitcher Ashlee Gibson out with a strained quad, DePauw had only starters Emma Baldwin and Brooke Bandy to get through the Bishop lineup, with one relieving the other in both games.
“There wasn’t like a hard/fast--this is when we’re going to make the switch,” said Hanrahan. “It was just really evaluating how their batters were adjusting to their types of pitching.”
Despite the unusual circumstances, both pitchers adjusted well, allowing the Bishops to take the lead only once in each game.
“I actually enjoy seeing the hitters try to adjust from pitcher to pitcher,” said Baldwin. “I think because Brooke and I are so different of pitchers, it works really well."
Bandy got the ball in game one, limiting the Bishops to two runs--one of which was earned--on one hit over three and two-thirds innings before being relieved by Baldwin.
Ohio Wesleyan (6-14, 1-3) kept things close before the Tigers padded their 3-2 lead in the fifth on Lauren Goodman’s three-run homer.
The Bishops picked up a run in the seventh before Baldwin closed the game out for her third win of the season.
Game two was a different story for Baldwin, who struggled early, giving up two runs in the first and third innings.
But the Tiger offense picked the sophomore up, scoring seven runs in the second.
The offense, led by three-hit performances by senior catcher Sami Bell and first-year third-baseman Sidney Holler, added insurance runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to secure Baldwin her fourth win.
Bandy pitched three scoreless innings of relief to pick up her first save of the season.
“When I started the first game, I’d never faced Ohio Wesleyan or its batters,” said Bandy, who was recently named NCAC Pitcher of the Week for her performance. “But when I came in for relief I knew more about them and how we were going to get them out.”
This weekend, DePauw will take a break from conference opponents and travel to Bloomington, Ill., to play in the Illinois Wesleyan Tournament. The tournament will draw a number of strong programs, many of which are ranked.
While the Tigers will have their work cut out for them, Baldwin feels good about the team’s play heading into the weekend.
“Through these games, our team has learned to play loose and fun, and we are pulling together as a team,” said Baldwin. “I think that has given us confidence.”
The Tigers open the series against Wisconsin-Eau Claire at 1:30 p.m. CDT on Friday.