ALLIANCE, Ohio -- The No. 17 Heidelberg University softball team dropped both halves of an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader at the University of Mount Union on Saturday. The Purple Raiders won 8-5 in the opener and 10-6 in the nightcap.

With the sweep, Heidelberg falls to 15-5, 2-2 in the OAC. Mount Union improves to 17-9, 3-1.

GAME ONE: Mount Union 8, Heidelberg 5

The opener was a fairly sloppy game all around, with the teams combining for seven errors that led to five unearned runs.

Heidelberg took the lead in the top of the first in game one, thanks to the fleet-footed Bailey Smith. Smith started with the single to right and moved to second on a throwing error in right. After stealing third, she scampered home on a wild pitch.

Mount Union tied it in the bottom of the inning, then scored twice in the third.

In the top of the fourth inning, Morgan Daniels scored on a throwing error on a double steal, cutting the Purple Raider lead to 3-2.

The hosts extended their lead with two runs in the fifth off of game one starter Paige Atterholt (8-2), who gave up 12 hits in the complete game loss.

Heidelberg added an unearned run on a passed ball in the sixth. Kayla Zachrich crossed the plate with the bases loaded, making it 5-3 with the tying runs in scoring position. Mount's Allie Scali (8-6) used a strikeout and a pop out to get out of the jam.

After Mount Union tacked on three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, Heidelberg tried to rally in the seventh. Smith picked up her third hit of the game to start, and moved to third on two wild pitches. Walks to Marissa Smego and Mikaela Mitsch loaded the bases with no outs. Zachrich lined into a 4-3 double play for the first two outs. Abbey McKee hit a two-run double to left, but the Tricolor rally fell short.

GAME TWO: Mount Union 10, Heidelberg 6

Down 1-0 in the third, the Student Princes scored a pair. Smego led off with a triple and scored on a double by Mitsch. Mitsch scored on a two-out single by Kaitlin Keys, who pounded out three hits in the game.

The Purple Raiders responded immediately, plating three in the bottom of the frame.

Heidelberg was able to close the gap to one with a run in the fifth. It came on a leadoff home run by freshman Joanna Catalano, the first of her career.

As they did earlier, the Purple Raiders answered quickly. A three-run homer by Jessica Calhoun seemed to seal the fate of the Student Princes. Mount added three more in the sixth for good measure.

Similarly to the first game, Heidelberg had a late charge that wa short-circuited by a double play. Mitsch started the top of the seventh with a double, followed by a single and a walk that loaded the bases with no outs. Keys singled home pinch runner Randi Kelsey for the first run. After a foul out, an RBI fielder's choice and an error pushed another run across and kept the bases full. Pinch runner Megan Rutledge scored on a wild pitch, making the score 10-6. A 5-3-2 double play ended the threat with the tying run on deck.

Erin Chapman (6-2) took the loss for Heidelberg. She allowed 12 hits in 5+ innings of work. Abbie Finnell got the final three outs for the Tricolor.

UP NEXT

The Student Princes won't have much time to dwell on the losses as they are scheduled to play host to Case Western Reserve University in a non-conference twinbill on Sunday, starting at 2 p.m.