Oberlin hasn't had much luck against Columbia recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Phoenix will venture away from home to face off against the Raiders at 5:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Oberlin took a loss when they played away from home last Thursday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Cleveland Central Catholic with a sharp 23-3 win.
Larissa Freas made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 13 batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off two hits. Freas was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing five bases while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
In other batting news, Clara McCown was a standout: she scored four runs and stole six bases while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. Amaya Price was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing seven bases while going 2-for-4.
Oberlin always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .811. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Cleveland Central Catholic only posted an OBP of .464.
Meanwhile, Columbia never let their opponents score on Friday. They were the clear victors by an 18-0 margin over Cleveland Central Catholic. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Raiders.
Like Oberlin, Columbia also got a great game from a two-way player: Natalie Miller. She kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 15 over five innings pitched. Miller was also big at the plate, scoring a run while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Grace Anderson, who went a perfect 5-for-5 with four runs, four RBI, and one double. Another player making a difference was Kenzie Shackelton, who scored three runs while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
Columbia's record is now 2-0. As for Oberlin, the victory got them back to even at 1-1.
Oberlin might still be hurting after the 14-2 loss they got from Columbia when the teams last played back in April of 2022. Can the Phoenix avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
