New Concord, Ohio - April 2, 2010 - The Heidelberg University softball team, under the guidance of head coach Betsy Hada continues to set high marks for the program. Today’s split against Ohio Athletic Conference foe Muskingum University matches the Berg’s OAC win total from last year.
The Berg is now 16-4 overall and 3-1 in the OAC, while the Muskies stand at 11-9 and 3-1 against league foes. Heidelberg’s 16 wins are the most since finishing with 21 in 1998.
In game one, the Berg fell 4-1, while rebounding in game two to win 3-0.
The 3-0 win is the first victory in 23 games and the first shut out ever over Muskingum. It is just the third time in the history of the softball team that it has beat the Muskies.
In game one, Heidelberg scored its first and only run in the sixth inning when sophomore Bess Artino (Bellevue, Ohio / Bellevue) doubled to left center bringing in freshman Bridget Moran (Lakewood, Ohio / Lakewood).
Sophomore Dana Thoms (Amherst, Ohio / Firelands) picked up only her third loss on the season and now stands at 9-3. Thoms went six innings and gave up two earn runs off seven hits.
The Berg bounced back in game two and followed the lead of freshman pitcher Ali Sayre (Sylvania, Ohio / Sylvania-Northview). Sayre stays perfect on the season with a 4-0 record. The 3-0 shutout win was Sayre’s first of her career and marked her third complete game on the season. On the year, she leads the way with a 1.21 ERA.
Seven of Heidelberg’s nine starters earned a base hit including freshman Kaitlyn Esordi (Brownstown, Mich. / Oscar A. Carlson). Esordi got Heidelberg on the board with a one-out double to left center bringing home sophomore Megan Reinhart (Tiffin, Ohio / Hopewell-Loudon) and Ashley Stromack (LaGrange, Ohio / Keystone).
Heidelberg would add one more run in the top of the fifth when freshman Carrie Moran (Lakewood, Ohio / Lakewood) singled to center field which scored freshman Paige Diers (New Richmond, Ohio / New Richmond).
The Berg is back in action Saturday, April 10 when it hosts Wilmington College at 1:00 p.m.