TIFFIN -- With fans socially distanced in the stands, the Heidelberg University softball team split a doubleheader with Wilmington College on Saturday. Though the Quakers won in extra innings in the opener, 8-7, the Student Princes responded nicely, taking the nightcap 9-6.
The games marked the start of the conference portion of the schedule, the first of potentially 36 games countable to determine postseason seeding.
Shelby Miller had a big day at the plate, going 5-for-7 with three doubles.
Brooke Lewis had six hits and drove in two while
Emma Dean had five hits and drove in four.
GAME ONE: WILMINGTON 8 HEIDELBERG 7 (9 innings)
Wilmington took the lead with a two-out, two-run single to center in the top of the first. They tacked on three more in the top of the second when Megan Crager tripled in a pair and scored on a throwing error.
Down 5-0, the Student Princes answered in a big way in the bottom of the third.
Leah Bouillon drew a leadoff walk and beat out a throw to second on a bunt by
Hanna Blasinsky.
Brooke Lewis put HU on the board with a bloop single to right center, plating Bouillon.
Emma Dean followed with a bouncer up the middle that scored two. When
Bailee Faulkner laced a single to center, Lewis scored easily. Dean dodged, ducked, dipped, dove and ... dodged her way around the tag, plating the tying run.
Wilmington scored single runs in the top of the fourth and fifth to regain the lead.
Down a pair, HU responded in the bottom of the fifth. Lewis doubled to center and scored on a double to left by Dean. After moving to third on a fly out, Dean had a considerably easier time scoring the tying run -- coming home on a sacrifice fly by
Raye Hammond.
The score remained knotted at seven until two Quaker doubles brought in what would be the winning run in the top of the ninth.
Riley Cruse (1-2) was saddled with the loss despite a strong outing in relief. She went 7.2 innings, allowing three runs and striking out six.
GAME TWO: HEIDELBERG 9 WILMINGTON 6
After spotting the Quakers two runs to start the nightcap, Heidelberg put one on the board in the first. Blasinsky singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Lewis singled to center, plating Blasinsky.
Heidelberg took the lead in the second with two runs.
Kat Brady bunted her way aboard and scored on a triple by Bouillon. Blasinsky followed with an RBI groundout.
In the third, an error and two base hits loaded the bases for the Student Princes. With two outs, Bouillon roped a double to left center, which was mishandled. All three base runners scored, putting HU ahead 6-2.
Wilmington tied the game with a four-spot in the fourth inning, using two walks and four hits to do the damage.
Undeterred, the Tricolor responded right away. Miller led off with her second double of the game, then moved to third on a screaming single to left by Lewis. After a pitching change, Dean singled to right, plating Miller with the go-ahead run. HU would tack on two more without a base hit, using an error and a ground out.
Rylee Tomsic (1-0) picked up the win, throwing 4.2 innings, allowing six runs on eight hits.
Maggie Hoffman (Sv. 1) went the rest of the way without allowing a run.
Ryann Ramacciatti, in her first collegiate start, made two terrific plays on hard-hit balls to third -- both of which saved runs for the Student Princes.
UP NEXT:
Same teams, different place. Heidelberg travels to Wilmington on Sunday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
