Patton pitches Perry to softball sweep

PERRY TOWNSHIP - If you believe pitching is 95 percent of fast-pitch softball, Saturday afternoon's doubleheader between Perry and visiting Ottoville was your Exhibit A.

The Commodores took both ends of the doubleheader, winning 3-0 and 7-1, behind their standout sophomore Megan Patton.

"It was a good doubleheader win; any time you can win two it's good," Perry coach Paul Patton said. "We were a little flat today, both at the plate and on the bases. I'll attribute that to the fact that we didn't get home last night (Friday) from our game at Sidney Christian until almost 11:30 p.m."

Patton threw a one-hitter and struck out 17 Big Green batters in a dominating first game performance. The 17 strike outs tied a single game school record.

Sami Modica threw a strong game - six strike outs and only one walk - for Ottoville but was ultimately done-in by Patton's outstanding performance.

The second game saw Modica and Patton battle to a 0-0 tie after three innings before Ottoville brought in Brooke Moore to replace Modica.

Unfortunately for the Big Green, Moore struggled with control problems and the roof caved in on Ottoville.

Three walks, a hit batsman, a dropped third strike on a strik out and six wild pitches sandwiched around a lone single by Perry helped the Commodores grab a 7-0 lead. Modica returned to the mound at that point and recorded two strikeouts to end the inning without further damage.

But with Patton continually throwing strikes, there was little chance of a Ottoville comeback in the game.

Patton finished the second game with 13 strike outs and allowed only three Big Green singles.

The Commodores improve to 8-2 on the season while Ottoville falls to 0-4.

Patton led the Perry offense with a double in the first game followed by two more doubles in the nightcap.

Modica allowed only two hits and struck out eight in the second game.

The only Ottoville run came in the sixth inning when first baseman Amy Hohlbein smashed a solid single to left and went to third on a two-base error by the Perry left-fielder. Hohlbein scored on a wild pitch for the lone Big Green run of the afternoon.