Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | 24-Game Season Stats
TIFFIN, Ohio—Senior designated hitter Lexie Pinkelman (Metamora/Evergreen) and senior first baseman Bessie Artino (Bellevue) each homered today, but the Heidelberg University softball team dropped an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader to Ohio Northern University at Hedges Boyer Park in Tiffin, Ohio. The Polar Bears won the first game, 7-2, and took the nightcap by a 10-4 count.
ONU (17-5, 8-0 OAC) put together a five-hit inning in the top of the third en route to a 3-0 lead.
Heidelberg (12-12, 2-5 OAC) scored runs on a bases loaded walk by junior shortstop Bridget Moran (Lakewood/Senior) in the fourth and a run batted-in single by sophomore right fielder Melissa Lovati (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Lakeview) in the fifth, but ONU scored once more in the fifth and added three insurance runs in the seventh to preserve the win.
Lovati was 2-for-2 in game one. Pinkelman scored both of Heidelberg’s runs and sophomore second baseman Erica Huffman (Strongsville) and Artino (Bellevue) each doubled.
Junior southpaw Ali Sayre (Sylvania/Northview) went the distance, allowing 14 hits while striking out and walking six, but fell to 4-6.
Kelly Sheridan led the Polar Bear attack by going 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBI and two runs, while four more Polar Bears had a pair of safeties.
Abbey Bensing matched Sayre’s complete game, surrendering six hits and striking out two to improve to 7-3.
In the second game, the Polar Bears scored lone runs in each of the first and third innings before Heidelberg tied the game, 2-2, in the bottom of the third, as Artino popped a two-run home run, her third of the season.
Four singles and a pair of walks helped ONU to a five-run fifth as the Polar Bears jumped out to a 7-2 advantage.
Undaunted, Pinkelman blasted a two-run shot in the bottom half of the frame, but Jackie Magnola hit a two-run home of her own in the seventh and ONU added a trio of insurance runs to thwart any ‘Berg comeback attempt.
Artino was 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs in the second game. Sophomore center fielder Jami Wagner (Alvada New Riegel) and Moran also had multi-hit days.
Freshman righty Christine Foster (Luckey/Eastwood) nearly went the distance, hurling 6.2 innings and allowing 10 runs (nine earned) on 12 hits while striking out two and suffered her first career loss to fall to 3-1.
Magnola finished the second game 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run. Christin Miller was 3-for-5 with a run and Katie Cretin was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run.
Katy Newman gave up eight hits and struck out one in a complete-game effort and improved to 7-2.
The Berg returns to the diamond Saturday to host Marietta College in a pair of OAC games.