Tiffin, Ohio – April 12, 2011 – The Heidelberg University softball team dropped two hard fought games to Ohio Athletic Conference foe Ohio Northern University on Tuesday at Mayer Field. Heidelberg lost game one 7-3 and 5-4 in the nightcap. The Berg goes to 18-8 overall and 2-6 in the OAC, while the Polar Bears improve to 17-7 overall and 7-1 in league play.
Despite out-hitting ONU 11-8 in game one, the Berg could not get the big hit it needed to produce runs on the board and left 11 runners on base.
The Polar Bears, however, earned a total of three home runs which manufactured six of its seven runs. ONU’s OAC Player of the Week Jackie Mangola hit two homers, bringing her total to 12 on the season.
Heidelberg pitcher Dana Thoms (Amherst, Ohio / Firelands) threw a complete game, while giving up seven runs (five earned) off eight hits. She fanned three and walked four.
Earning an RBI for the Berg was Hannah Brumit (Stone Creek, Ohio / New Philadelphia), Bessie Artino (Bellevue, Ohio / Bellevue) and Kelly Martz (Roseville, Mich. / Lakeview).
In game two, ONU’s Katy Newman was pitching a no hitter going into the sixth inning, but Heidelberg’s Melissa Lovati (St. Clair Shores, Mich. / Lakeview) answered with a pinch-hit double with two outs in the sixth.
Heidelberg carried over the momentum it started in the sixth to the seventh and the bats came alive with four runs off three hits. After Artino led off with a single to right field, Megan Reinhart (Tiffin, Ohio / Hopewell London) battled and after a 12-pitch at bat, she drew a walk.
Julie Okorn (Euclid, Ohio / Euclid), who pinched ran for Arinto, scored Heidelberg’s first run of the game when Martz reached on a fielder’s choice.
After Lindsay Horwitz (Gurnee, Ill. / Warren Township) reached on base with a single to put two on for the Berg, Erica Huffman (Strongsville, Ohio / Strongsville) towered a three-run home run over the right center fence. This marked Huffman’s first homer of her collegiate career.
The Berg’s Lexie Pinekelman (Metamora, Ohio / Evergreen) goes to 10-3 on the year, while giving up five runs (three earned) off 11 hits. She struck out seven and walked two.
The Berg is back in action Thursday (April 14) to face Oberlin College at 3:30 p.m. at Mayer Field.