TIFFIN -- A grand slam by Gabbie Stallbaum propelled The Berg Softball team to a much-needed doubleheader split with Muskingum on Saturday. HU won the opener, 9-3, then fell in eight innings in the nightcap, 3-2. 

Heidelberg snapped a four-game slide, improving to 10-22 overall, 3-9 in the OAC. The Muskies, who had beaten Heidelberg in 10 straight, moved to 20-8, 7-3. 

GAME ONE: THE BERG 9-12-4   MUSKIES 3-8-1

The Muskies scored three times in the first three innings. Reliever Kailyn Kroll worked out of a second-and-third with one-out jam in the third without allowing an inherited runner to score. The momentum boosted The Berg in the bottom of the inning.

Morgan Woycitzky and Logyn Chamberlin opened the frame with infield singles. Woycitzky was caught stealing, but Chamberlin scored on a triple to the right field corner by Aubrey Conklin. Conklin trotted home when Ellie Tressler hit an inside-the-park home run into the right field corner -- tying the game at three.  

Chamberlin singled with one out in the fifth, moving to second on a bunt single by Hannah Hashman. Conklin blistered a single to left to load the bases. With two outs, Stallbaum stepped to the plate and unleashed a mammoth grand slam to straight-away center.

Heidelberg added two in the sixth -- scoring on a Tressler groundout and a wild pitch.  

Muskingum opened the seventh with a single, but Conklin made a diving catch on a liner to first, then tagged the bag with her glove to double up the base runner. Kroll (W, 5-2) induced a groundout to seal the win. She worked 4.2 innings of scoreless softball, scattering four hits and a walk. 

GAME TWO:  MUSKIES 3-11-0   THE BERG 2-7-0

The Muskies scored single runs in the first and the fourth -- and held the Student Princes hitless through three.  

In the fourth, Stallbaum led off with a towering home run that landed between the fence and the scoreboard. 

The 2-1 deficit remained until the bottom of the seventh. Hashman, Conklin and Tressler all singled, loading the bases for Stallbaum. Unable to intentionally walk her, as they did in the sixth, Muskingum had to pitch to the powerful lefty. After a lengthy at bat, Stallbaum lifted a sacrifice fly to center, plating Hashman with the tying run.  

After the Muskies regained the lead in the top of the eighth, Caitlynn Newlen ripped a single to start the bottom of the eighth -- but she would be stranded at second to end the game. 

Bolstered by a defense that committed no errors for the first time in 12 games, Jessica Voitko allowed three runs in eight innings. She struck out two. 

UP NEXT: 

Heidelberg travels to Adrian College on Tuesday for a make-up twinbill before hosting John Carroll on Wednesday.