TIFFIN -- It can be difficult to sum up an entire season in a single sentence, but the 2023 Heidelberg University softball team can turn to the words of Cleveland Browns all-pro return man Josh Cribbs.
"We almost always almost win."
Cribbs uttered the words after yet another nail-biting loss by the forlorn franchise in 2011. With two narrow losses to Marietta College on Senior Day at Frann's Field, the Student Princes slipped to 15-22 overall, 5-11 in the OAC. The Berg has had the tying run at the plate in 13 of the 22 losses overall, including in seven of their 11 conference losses.
Marietta won the opener, 4-3, in 10 innings, then won, 12-8, in nine innings in the nightcap.
Prior to the game, Heidelberg honored seniors
Meghan Bame,
Hanna Blasinsky, Haile Monhollen, and
Caitlin Dems.
GAME ONE: MAR 4-9-0 BERG 3-5-3 (10 inn.)
In the top of the second, attempting to get a double play, an overthrow to third allowed the Pioneers to score for a 1-0 lead.
Heidelberg tied it up 1-1 in the fifth on a wild pitch. A walk for
Gabbie Stallbaum started her trip around the bases. A Bame single allowed Stallbaum to advance to second. Finally, a
Halie Monhollen ground out, moved Stallbaum over to third before her sprint home.
The Pioneers took the lead on a bases loaded walk in the sixth and carried the lead into the seventh.
Another Stallbaum walk found pinch runner Bella Fuentes on second base with two outs. Faced with the opportunity to tie it up, Voitko hit one perfectly into left field. Briggs aggressively waved Fuentes home and she slid in just ahead of the tag, tying the game at 2-2.
Marietta took the lead in the top of the ninth -- but Heidelberg was undeterred. Once again, Stallbaum served as the catalyst, leading off with a single. After a Bame single and Monhollen ground out, Stallbaum scored on a Voitko ground out. .
In the 10th, Marietta would pick up what would be their game-winning run after a triple to left field followed by a single to bring the runner home -- all with two outs.
Despite a leadoff double by
Caitlynn Newlen, the Frann's Field Magic ran out in the bottom of the tenth.
GAME TWO: MAR 8-15-1 BERG 12-18-3 (9 inn,)
Scoreless until the home half of the second, a Monhollen double to left field advanced Stallbaum, who was walked, to third. Voitko then singled to center field for her third RBI of the day.
Marietta would get the run back in the third off of two hits, tying it 1-1.
In the home half, with two outs,
Ellie Tressler reached first on a dropped pop up. One pitch after Tressler stole second, Stallbaum stroked a RBI single through the right side.
Shutting out Marietta in the fourth, Heidelberg would score for the third inning in a row. After Voitko was walked,
Morgan Woycitzky was put in to pinch run. After stealing second, a
Jade Torres single up the middle gave time for Woycitzky to make it home for a 3-1 advantage.
Marietta stormed back for five runs in the fifth, taking a 6-3 lead. The inning was rife with confusion regarding substitutions, and the Pioneers were the beneficiary of the ordeal.
Down but not out, Heidelberg roared back in the sixth. First, Newlen would hit a single through the right side. Torres would follow it up with a single to the left side, Newlen advancing to second. Next up was Blaskinky, who grounded out, but allowed Newlen and Torres to move up one. Bame stepped up to the plate and launched a single up the middle, giving way for Newlen to score and Torres to third. Tressler drove in Torres with a ground out to shortstop.
Stallbaum tied the game with a single up the middle and, importantly, moved to second on the throw. Fuentes, in to pinch run, gave HU the lead when she scored on a
Murissa Drown double to left center.
Marietta would get one back in the seventh on two walks and a single.
Heidelberg appeared to walk it off in the bottom of the seventh, but a costly baserunning error sent the game into extra innings.
The Pioneers scored five times in the top of the ninth, taking a commanding lead.
Heidelberg didn't fold, however. The Student Princes scored a run on a Bame fielder's choice, and eventually had the tying run at the plate. The Pioneers closed out the sweep with a flyout to left.
UP NEXT:
Heidelberg will close the season with a doubleheader at Ohio Northern next weekend.
