'Berg Splits with Otterbein

The Heidelberg College softball team split for the first time this season against Otterbein College in an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader in Westerville, Ohio. The Berg won the first game 7-4, but dropped the second 12-4 in six innings. Heidelberg now stands at 7-25 on the year, 3-13 in the OAC, while Otterbein rises to 10-20 overall, 5-11 in conference play.

Heidelberg scored first in the first game of the day, driving in a run in the top of the second and again in the top of the third. A four run inning by the Cardinals in the bottom of the third, however, placed Otterbein in front 4-2. Heidelberg scored once more in the fourth thanks to a solo shot over the left field fence by Dessiree Burtch (Prospect, Ohio / Elgin) which started the inning, and again in the sixth to tie the game at four. It was Burtch's first collegiate homerun of her career. With the game on the line, ’Berg bats exploded in the seventh to drive in three runs for the win. Crystal Killoran (South Euclid, Ohio / Brush) singled through the left side and earned an RBI when the go-ahead run crossed the plate. Katie Allenspach (Aurora, Ohio / Aurora) followed her at the plate and earned herself an RBI when she reached on a fielder’s choice. Killoran scored two batters later thanks to a fielding error by the shortstop.

Allenspach picked up the win for Heidelberg on the mound, her sixth of the year, having allowed only eight hits, three earned runs, no walks, and she struck out two in seven innings of work. Offensively, Killoran led the team by going 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs and one run. Burtch went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run thanks to her homer.

In the second game, Otterbein plated four in the first inning and one more in the second to build a commanding lead they would not relinquish for the rest of the contest. Heidelberg came out in the third and drove in three runs of its own, but the Cardinals answered back with two more of their own right after in the bottom of the inning. Heidelberg managed to score once more in the fourth when Allenspach singled up the middle and Andrea Gerdeman (Ottawa, Ohio / Ottawa-Glandorf) ran in from second. Otterbein, however, posted three more runs in the bottom of the fourth and two in the bottom of the sixth to cut the game short.

Once again Killoran led the offense for the Berg, she went 2-for-2 with one run and drew a walk a the plate. Allenspach also went 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run. Nicole Bachman (Elkhart, Ind. / Elkhart Memorial) picked up the loss for the Berg. She went two innings on the mound and gave up five earned runs, while Allenspach returned to the rubber in the third to finish the day.

Defensively for the Berg, Gerdeman recorded a team-high 14 putouts at first base and Coree Price (Prospect, Ohio / North Union) dished out seven assists from shortstop.

Heidelberg returns to action on Saturday, April 26, in Alliance, Ohio where it will take on no. 21 Mount Union in an OAC doubleheader set to begin at 1 p.m.