Softball Sweeps Wilmington

For the first time in Ohio this season, the Heidelberg College softball team has won not only one, but two games. The team’s previous two wins came at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. back in March. The Berg defeated Wilmington College 6-3, 3-1 in an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader in Wilmington, Ohio. Heidelberg’s record stands at 4-16 on the year, 2-4 in OAC action.

Katie Allenspach (Aurora, Ohio / Aurora) picked up the first win for Heidelberg on the mound, while freshman Nicole Bachman (Elkhart, Ind. / Elkhart Memorial) earned her first collegiate victory in the second game.

Once again, Heidelberg did not manage to round the bases until late in the game. The team scored its first run in the fourth and crossed the plate three more times before the inning finished to place it ahead of the Quakers 4-3. The fourth began with Bobbi Kendeigh (Oberlin, Ohio / Firelands) drawing a walk and soon scoring off a sacrifice bunt by Coree Price (Prospect, Ohio / North Union) which quickly turned into a throwing error by Wilmington’s third baseman. It resulted in Kendeigh crossing the plate and Price reaching third. Price got out at home the next play when Jerrica Sweetnich (Garfield Heights, Ohio / Garfield Heights) had a hit fielded by the catcher who made the play unassisted. Katie Curry (Delaware, Ohio / Buckeye Valley) pounded the ball to left field for a double and an RBI as Sweetnich manage to make it home for the team’s second run of the day.

A walk and an error later, Curry scored and two ’Berg runners remained on the bases. With Crystal Killoran (South Euclid, Ohio / Brush) up to bat and two outs on the scoreboard, the team waited in anticipation, hoping to pull ahead. Killoran did not disappoint and singled to left center to score the go-ahead run.

The Berg scored one more in both the sixth and seventh innings and held Wilmington at bay to take the game.

Price led the team offensively by going 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs, while Sweetnich hit the same with one run. Killoran also contributed two hits and one RBI. Defensively, Allenspach allowed eight hits, three runs, walked two, and struck out three in seven innings of work.

The second game began with Wilmington scoring first in the third. Heidelberg quickly rebounded and scored a run of its own in the top of the fourth. Kendeigh singled to left field, driving Dessiree Burtch (Prospect, Ohio / Elgin) home. In the fifth, Sweetnich doubled to left and stole third to place herself in scoring position. Curry hit a sacrifice fly to left to get her in.

All the while Wilmington’s offensive push remained silent, Heidelberg scored its third and final run in the sixth. Burtch tripled to right and Jen Kerman (Willowick, Ohio / Regina) singled to center to earn the RBI. Wilmington could not manage to plate anymore runners and Heidelberg walked off the field with a sweep.

Sweetnich went 3-for-4 with one run and Burtch got one hit and two runs for the contest. Bachman allowed only four hits in six innings on the mound, striking out and walking four. Allenspach earned the save, coming to the rubber in the seventh to close out the game.

Defensively for the day, Andrea Gerdeman (Ottawa, Ohio / Ottawa-Glandorf) led the team with 14 put outs and Ashley Foust (Aurora, Ohio / Aurora) tossed in six assists. The team also turned one double play in the first game.

Heidelberg returns to action on Wednesday, April 9, at home against Baldwin-Wallace College in a doubleheader. The first game is set to begin at 3 p.m.