KISSIMMEE, FL – Heidelberg University softball bounced back on day two, winning both games against Aurora and Concordia Chicago.
Gabbie Stallbaum headlined with a pair of home runs, for a career total of nine for the Junior.
GAME ONE: Heidelberg 7-10-2 Aurora 2-7-1
Heidelberg had an unideal start to the day, as
Jade Torres made contact with the first pitch which met in the hands of a diving center fielder. Right after,
Gabbie Stallbaum shot a line drive straight at the pitcher, who made another miraculous catch. Aurora then went on to score one in the bottom half.
Undeterred, HU came alive in the third inning, scoring five runs. With pinch runner
Aubrey Baker on first,
Morgan Woycitzky hit a sacrifice bunt to move her to second. Back for revenge, Torres hit a single through the middle to move Baker to third and then followed it up by stealing second. Stallbaum got her redemption with a home run to right field, giving The Berg a 3-1 lead.
Still in the third,
Emma Dean and
Ellie Tressler both managed to get on base thanks to Aurora errors. Freshman
Shea Harper made her presence known with a hard hit to left center to bring Dean and Tressler home for the 5-1 advantage.
The guests had a chance at scoring with runners on first and third before Tressler made a diving catch at third to end the inning.
In the fifth, Harper had a hand in a Heidelberg run again as she hit a long double to left field, allowing Tressler to score.
Woycitzky had a turn at touching home plate in the sixth, thanks to a pop-up from Dean that gave her time to get home.
Aurora added a run in the seventh, but was unable to do further damage.
Ryley Pittman earned the win in the circle, allowing only one run through 6.2 innings.
Jess Voitko worked 1.2 innings in relief of Pittman. Entering with one out and runners on the corners in the sixth, Voitko fanned the next two batters.
GAME TWO: Heidelberg 4-8-3 Concordia Chicago 3-8-2
The Student Princes led until the sixth inning, when the Cougars put up three runs that sent the game to extra innings.
In the first, Stallbaum singled through the right side. Dean was up next, where she singled to left field and both advanced on a Concordia miscue. Tressler sent one out to center field to bring Stallbaum home for a 1-0 lead.
HU added another in the second as Tressler started her trip around the bases with a double. A single from Harper, a fielder's choice and a pop fly brought her home for a 2-0 lead.
Stallbaum slammed her second homer of the day in the sixth with nobody on, which put 'Berg up 3-0.
In the sixth, Concordia loaded the bases. A walk from
Caitlin Dems, followed by a single put two runs on the board.
Kailyn Kroll stepped in to replace Dems and an unlucky pitch hit the batter to knot things at 3-3, giving way for extra innings.
With
Logyn Chamberlin on second, Torres laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Chamberlin to third. Rattled by the power of Stallbaum, the Cougars intentionally walked her. Dean sent a fly ball to left center, allowing the Junior to jaunt home for the 4-3 walkoff win.
The team will return to Fortune Road again tomorrow to take on Calvin at 11:15 a.m. followed by Marian at 1:30 p.m.
