TIFFIN, Ohio -- Back in the Frann-dly Confines of Frann's Field, the Heidelberg University Softball team played outstanding in a sweep of visiting Bluffton University.
Gabbie Stallbaum hit for the doubleheader-cycle and
Jessica Voitko picked up a win and a save in the circle as the Student Princes improved to 5-7.
Voitko threw a combined 9.2 innings of scoreless softball, striking out nine. Stallbaum was 5-for-6 with a three-run homer and four RBIs. Voitko,
Jade Torres, and
Caitlynn Newlen all added two hits.
GAME ONE: BERG 5-7-1 BLUFFTON 2-9-2
Scoreless in the third, Torres reached on an infield single and
Morgan Woycitzky walked. Stallbaum, who roped a double her first at bat, launched a flyball to straight-away center that grazed the top of the six-foot center fence on its way past. The homer was Stallbaum's team-leading fourth of the season.
Bluffton scored once in the top of the fourth, but could have plated more had it not been for Stallbaum. With one out and runners on the corners, Kayleigh Michael lifted a ball to right field. Stallbaum caught it on the run and fired the ball on a line to home plate.
Ellie Tressler caught it and applied the tag for the double play.
The Beavers crept within one with a single run in the top of the fifth. Heidelberg responded with a marker of their own in the bottom of the frame. Torres led off with a sharp single up the middle and stole second. After moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by Woycitzky, Torres trotted home on a single to center by Stallbaum.
Carmen Moore drove home Heidelberg's final run with a line drive fielder's choice to center.
Logyn Chamberlin had to hold between first and second to make sure the ball would get down and was forced out at second, but Newlen scored on the play.
Voitko stranded two in the seventh to earn her first save of the season. Starter
Caitlin Dems threw 4.1 innings and allowed two runs on five hits. She struck out four and improved to 1-1.
GAME TWO: BERG 4-6-0 BLUFFTON 0-2-1
Voitko was the story in game two. She was perfect through 5.2 before yielding a walk and a base hit. She induced a lineout to get out of the sixth, then allowed a hit, but no runs in the seventh. The shutout was the third career shutout for the effervescent Voitko.
Lillie Robeson and Stallbaum connected on one-out singles in the bottom of the third. After advancing on a wild pitch, pinch runner
Alyssa Bennett scored on a Tressler ground out. Voitko helped her own cause, driving in Stallbaum with a single through the left side.
Undone, HU added single runs in the fourth and fifth.
Meghan Bame drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on a ground out and a single. Later, she scored on a sacrifice fly by Torres.
In the fifth, Stallbaum completed the doubleheader-cycle with a triple to the gap in right center. She was able to score on a deep fly ball by Tressler.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
The last 'Berg player to hit for the doubleheader-cycle was current assistant coach
Shelby Miller. The Shelby-Shelby-Big-Day came in a sweep of Baldwin Wallace on March 28, 2021 … A Heidelberg pitcher hasn't thrown a no-hitter since current assistant coach Erin Chapman fired one at Baldwin Wallace on April 11, 2017 … With a combined game time elapsed of 2:41, the doubleheader with Bluffton was the quickest 14-inning twinbill in the history of Frann's Field. Two doubleheaders were quicker (April 3, 2021 vs. Capital and March 29, 2016 vs. Defiance, both 2:30), but they included at least one run-rule victory.
UP NEXT:
Heidelberg visits Albion College on Saturday for a doubleheader, scheduled for 1 p.m.
