PEMBERVILLE — Eastwood sophomore pitcher Cassie Kieper gave up just three hits as the Eagles handed Bowling Green their first loss in four games, 2-1, Friday.

Kieper struck out five and walked two, but was mostly trying to pitch to contact, and it was effective.

“I was trying to throw strikes and make it so they could not get a good hit, but still make contact and it would be a bad hit,” Kieper said.

She was able to rely on her defense, too, especially junior second baseman Grace Kingery, who ran into outfield foul territory for an over-the-shoulder catch in the fourth inning.

Kingery also covered for senior first baseman Sam Sibbersen twice when Sibberson was drawn out of position by an infield grounder and a bunt.

“The defense played well,” Eastwood coach Joe Wyant said. “Our infield played real well and our outfield made a couple nice plays, too.

“I thought the pitching was solid, it was just that we were behind a lot — we were down 2-0, 3-1 a lot, and we can’t do that all the time and come out ahead,” Wyant continued.

“Other than that, we played a solid game, especially with a wind chill factor making the temperature 30.”

The Bobcats also had just one error, but BG coach Shawn Watson said Eastwood’s defense went the extra mile when it became necessary.

“We played good defense. They played great defense,” Watson said. “That’s a good thing. Joe has got a great team.

“The second baseman made a great play in the hole and the right fielder (junior Katie Oestrich) made a play that kept us from scoring runs. I mean, they played to win the game, and it was a great game.”

Kieper was grateful, too, as her team improved to 2-1.

“It’s good to rely on my defense and I can rely on them to make plays for me,” Kieper said.

The first three innings Kieper and BG senior pitcher Katelyn Ziems were locked into a scoreless pitcher’s duel.

That was before Eastwood junior Delaney Maynard made her second plate appearance in the fourth. On a full count, she sent a ball deep over the right field fence, giving the Eagles a 1-0 lead.

Maynard also singled to center field in the first inning to go 2-for-2. Her third trip to the plate in the fifth, Watson chose to give her a free pass to first base without a pitch thrown.

“We should have walked Delaney the first time she was up, and we knew that she could hit, and we didn’t. It was a judgment call,” Watson said.

In the ensuing top of the fifth, BG sophomore Taylor Rothenbuhler hit a one-out single to center field, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Meghan Kramp and scored to tie the game 1-1 on a base hit to center by senior Dyllan Atkin.

Eastwood spread out eight hits but did could not get the winning run across until the fifth inning.

“We had some hits. We just didn’t put them together,” Wyant said.

In the fifth, Oestrich reached on an infield single, advanced into scoring position when freshman Ady Bowe reached on BG’s only error and went to third on a wild pitch.

Junior Jessyca Smith belted a fly ball to center field for the second out, allowing Oestrich to score the winning run and Smith to get the winning RBI.

After a scoreless sixth, BG threatened again in the seventh. Rothenbuhler led off by reaching first on an infield single, her second base hit.

Kramp laid down another perfect sac bunt, her second of the game, sending Rothenbuhler to second.

After a strikeout, senior Mercedes Richter appeared to have reached on an error, but Rothenbuhler was called out on her way to third for interfering with the shortstop, Bowe, who was trying to field the grounder.

For BG, it was a disheartening and nontraditional way to lose a game.

“It is. You expect inconsistency this early in the year,” Watson said.

“The cold has just taken it out of the girls — they played a tough one last night in St. Marys (BG win). This is the fourth game in a row to start the season.”

For Eastwood, senior Kaitlyn Luidhardt doubled in the sixth and Smith, Sibbersen, Oestrich and sophomore Lilly Escobedo had base hits.

Ziems pitched five innings for the Bobcats, striking out two, walking one, allowing seven hits and just one earned run.

Kramp closed in the sixth, striking out two, walking one, allowing one hit and no runs.