Softball Team Still Rebuilding
BY ZACHARY PRETZER

Although it’s early in the season, the Oberlin softball team is still looking to rack up their first victory. The team had hopes of picking up a win last Saturday as they traveled to Gambier, Ohio, to play Kenyon College in a doubleheader. However, the Ladies proved to be too much for the Yeowomen to handle, as they lost both games by scores of 25-0 and 10-0, respectively. The losses dropped Oberlin’s overall record to 0-7, and they are 0-2 in the North Coast Athletic Conference.
In the opener, the first three innings were rough for Oberlin as an onslaught of Kenyon players crossed home plate. By the end of the third, Oberlin quickly found themselves down 22-0. Junior Dawn Sweeney started the game from the mound, but was relieved by senior Heather Barbee, who finished the game for the Yeowomen in the fourth inning. 
For the game, the Ladies compiled 25 runs on 16 hits, but the seven errors by the Yeowomen defense hurt, as all seven of the runners for Kenyon who reached on an error ended up scoring. The big damage by Kenyon was done by the designated hitter, Carrie Robertson, who scored three times and had four RBIs on a home run and a double. Oberlin sophomore third baseman Amy Golladay was the team’s only base runner and provided the team’s only hit, as she went one for two in the game.

In the second game, the Oberlin defense improved dramatically, as they only had one error in the game. Still, the Yeowomen again couldn’t string together base runners, as Golladay and sophomore outfielder Anna Roseberry had the team’s only hits. Kenyon’s pitching didn’t allow a walk during the entire contest, and their offense took control early, scoring two runs in the first inning, four in the second and two in the third and fourth.
Barbee pitched for the Yeowomen, allowing nine earned runs and walking eight batters in four innings of work. Although Oberlin lost the game 10-0, the team’s defense was much improved from the first game, which is a good sign of things to come for the rest of the season.
Concerning the season, sophomore shortstop Maria Balducci said, “I think we are still learning a lot this season. We don’t have a lot of experience, so we have to remember to always keep our heads in the game.”
So far in the young season, Golladay has paced the Yeowomen in hitting, leading the team with a .308 batting average. Sweeney is second on the team in hitting, with a .286 average. Sweeney also has a double and triple this year.
On Saturday, Oberlin travels to Springfield, Ohio, to play two conference games against Wittenberg University. The Yeowomen will then return home to face another conference opponent, Allegheny College, on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.