Photo by Andrew Grimm Big Red second baseman Sophia Zorne makes a throw to first for an out during Friday's game against Dover.

Less than 24 hours after scoring 14 runs in a big win at Wheeling Park, the Big Red softball team could not seem to find a big hit against visiting defending Division III state champion Dover on Friday afternoon.

Despite having six hits in the game, Big Red could not string enough of them together to get a run across, stranding eight runners in a 6-0 loss to the Tornadoes at the Crimson Complex.

“We just couldn’t string any hits together,” Big Red head coach April Minniefield said. “We knew Dover was going to be a big challenge. We were coming off a big win at Wheeling Park so I felt like we would have some momentum.

“We had hits, but we didn’t put them together. Maybe I need to do a better job of adjusting our line up to put the girls who are hitting closing together.

Photo by Andrew Grimm Big Red's Riley Zorne takes a swing against Dover on Friday.

After a scoreless first three innings, Dover (5-0) plated the game’s first three runs on three consecutive at-bats in the top of the fourth.

Madi Bantum smacked an RBI double, Abby Lint hit into a fielder’s choice that scored another and Hailey Kuecher hit an RBI double in the next at-bat to make it 3-0.

Big Red then stranded a pair in the bottom half and one each in the fifth and sixth to leave the score a 3-0 Dover.

Then, with one swing, the Tornadoes doubled the lead. Olivia McCue sent a two-out, three run shot over the fence in left to make it 6-0.

Attempting to rally, Big Red did get runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Dover pitcher Kara Lint fanned the next two batters to end her complete game shutout.

Photo by Andrew Grimm Big Red's Nora Younce takes off to second base after a teammate put the ball in play on Friday.

Kara Lint, a multi-time All-Ohioan that did not lose a decision last season, struck out 17 batters and did not issue a walk. She is now 3-0 on the season and has an ERA of 0.37.

“I think we might have been a little bit tentative because of their pitcher,” Minniefield said. “But, we have to find a way to put the ball way more.”

All six of Big Red’s hits were singles, Akron signee Sadie Edwards and Riley Zorne contributing two each.

Big Red starter Isabella Cadile struck out five and walked four while also going the distance.

Steubenville has the weekend off before another big test on Monday hosting undefeated Morgantown University, who qualified for the state tournament in West Virginia last spring.

Photo by Andrew Grimm Big Red's Gena Smith hauls in a fly ball against Dover on Friday.

“They don’t get any easier,” Minniefield said. “We play a hard schedule that is full of challenges. We have to be ready to go.”

Dover 6, Steubenville 0

D 0-0-0 3-0-0 3 – 6 6 0

S 0-0-0 0-0-0 0 – 0 6 1

DOVER (5-0): K. Lint (WP, CG, 0R, 6H, 17K, 0BB, 3HBP) and Bantum. McCue HR, 3RBIs; Kuecher T, RBI; Bantum D, RBI; A. Lint, S, RBI; Hupp S.

STEUBENVILLE (4-2): Cadile (LP, CG, 6R, 6ER, 5K, 4BB) and Smarrella. Edwards 2S; R. Zorne 2S; Meyer S; Younce S.