ALLIANCE, Ohio - The Heidelberg University softball team earned a split against the Mount Union, marking their first victory over the Purple Raiders since 2011. The Berg took game one, 9-3, but fell in the later contest, 2-1.

Sophomore Paige Atterholt earned the starting nod for The Berg in the first game. The righty, Degraff native collected her fifth complete game of the year by surrendering seven hits, three runs and striking out one.

The Student Princes dropped four runs in the first inning to open up the game. With the bases loaded, sophomore Kayla Zachrich knocked a two RBI doubled to left center scoring freshman Caiti Overholt and Lisa Simmons.

Another two RBI double from sophomore Mikaela Mitsch pushed the Student Princes ahead, 4-0. Atterholt and the Berg defense shutout the Purple Raiders in the bottom of the first before tacking on three more runs in the second.

Overholt tapped an RBI double that scored senior Jami Wagner from first. Freshman Kyleah Brey slapped a single to leftfield which scored Overholt, and moved The Berg ahead, 6-0. Mitsch hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Zachrich before the Purple Raiders closed out the Student Princes in the second.

After surrendering a run in the bottom of the second, the Student Princes took an 8-1 lead when they tacked on one run in the top of the fifth. Mitsch collected her fifth home run of her sophomore campaign to lead off the inning.

Mount Union answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to end their offensive threat in game one. Sixth year head coach Betsy Hada's crew added their final run of the game when Brey hit a double to centerfield that scored Overholt in the top of the sixth.

In the second game, freshman Erin Chapman, fresh off of her fifth victory of the year on Friday, took the mound for The Berg. Chapman threw four scoreless innings before the Purple Raiders drew first blood.

Mount's Leigh Seidlak knocked an RBI single before Lindsay Gerhart scored on a wild pitch. Seidlak scored on a single to right field to move the Purple Raiders ahead, 2-0. The Student Princes answered in the next half inning.

After Brey earned a walk, Hada subbed in freshman Rachel Garris to pinch run for Brey. On the ensuing at-bat, Zachrich belted a triple to the gap in right center, plating Garris and pulling The Berg within one.

After Chapman kept the Mount Union bats at bay in the bottom of the sixth, the Student Princes moved a runner into scoring position in the top of the seventh in an attempt to pull the game back even.

With two outs, Simmons singled to left field and advanced to second on an error by the left fielder. With the tying run in scoring position, Overholt knocked a fly ball to centerfield for the final out of the game.

With their split in Alliance, 'Berg softball moves to 13-9 overall and 2-6 in the Ohio Athletic Conference.

The Student Princes return to action on Wednesday, April 9 when they host Capital University. First pitch between the Student Princes and Crusaders from Jocko Huffman Field is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.