WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- Playing on the site where the 2016 team won the OAC Tournament, the 2026 Heidelberg University Softball team sought to capture a little bit of the magic in a doubleheader at Otterbein University. Powered by the right arm of
Haley Gockstetter and seven home runs, the Student Princes did just that. HU swept the Cardinals, winning the opener 10-7 in eight innings, and the nightcap, 11-2 in six.
GAME ONE: BERG 10-15-1 OTT 7-10-1
Heidelberg started hot, plating three in the opening half inning.
Adyson Bowe singled and raced home a double by
Ellie Tressler.
Alexis Burton followed with a two-run homer to center -- her league-leading ninth of the year.
After the Student Princes squandered opportunities to extend their lead, Otterbein erupted for five in the bottom of the fourth.
Down by two, HU got one back in the fifth when Tressler blasted a solo home run.
One inning later,
Hannah Hashman delivered a clutch two-out double that tied the game -- driving in
Leah Arnett.
The game went to extra innings, and Heidelberg went to work.
Abbie Marshall smoked a single by the ear of the third baseman, then
Taylor Forrest added a single to right center. A sac bunt by
Megan Miller put two in scoring position for Hashman. She loaded the bases with a soft base hit past the pitcher. Bowe stepped up and slashed a two-run single up the middle on a 3-2 pitch. Two batters later, Tressler did the same. Burton smoked a run-scoring double to right center, completing a five-run inning.
Otterbein did scratch two unearned runs across in the bottom of the eighth, but HU emerged with the win.
Haley Gockstetter threw another complete game, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits. She fanned one.
GAME TWO: BERG 11-15-0 OTT 2-8-1
The Berg bats stayed hot early in the nightcap.
Cara Meyer and Tressler homered on consecutive pitches, staking the visitors to an early 2-0 lead.
Otterbein evened the game in the bottom of the frame.
In the third, Hashman singled and Bowe drilled a two-run homer. Then Meyer singled and Tressler drilled a two-run homer (her third of the day). HU led, 6-2.
Arnett plated two runs when she dropped a single just beyond the reach of a charging center fielder in the fifth.
Ahead 8-2, The Berg piled it on in the sixth. Forrest led off with a solo home run -- the seventh of the day for the Tricolor. With two outs and the bases empty, Heidelberg loaded the bases with hits by Bowe and Meyer before an Otterbein error. Burton followed with a two-run single, giving her squad an 11-2 lead.
Gockstetter came on in relief and won her 16th game of the year, moving ahead of
Erin Chapman-Hoskins (2016) for the second-most wins in a season in program history. Only Paige Atterholt (19 wins in 2015) has more. She struck out three and didn't allow a run in 4.2 innings in the nightcap.
PLAYOFF PICTURE:
Heidelberg has clinched a spot in the upcoming six-team single-elimination OAC Tournament. One win next weekend would secure the fourth seed.
UP NEXT:
Heidelberg will cap conference play with a home doubleheader against Ohio Northern on Saturday. Games will start at 1, with Senior Day festivities taking place before game one.
Photo courtesy of Amy Hafer & Jamie Fidge
