TIFFIN -- On Senior Day, the Heidelberg University Softball team handled its business by sweeping the visiting Ohio Northern University Polar Bears. The Student Princes walloped ONU in the opener, 15-3, then held on for a 6-3 win in the night cap.
Prior to the game, Heidelberg honored early graduates
Belle Harleman and
Jae'Nya Witherspoon, and seniors
Lacey Fickes,
Carmen Moore,
Ellie Tressler,
Caitlynn Newlen and Pookie --
Paige Collins.
Heidelberg (26-13, 9-7 OAC) clinched the No. 4 seed in next week's Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament.
GAME ONE: BERG 15-14-2 ONU 3-4-0
Heidelberg scored in every inning, starting with an RBI triple by Tressler that scored
Cara Meyer.
In the second, The Berg loaded the bases with no outs.
Adyson Bowe pushed a run across with a one-out walk before a fielder's choice scored another. Tressler followed with a base hit to center that drove in two more. HU lead, 5-0.
ONU closed to within two, putting up three in the top of the third.
The Polar Bear momentum melted quickly. Heidelberg plated seven in the bottom of the inning. Bowe had a two-run single …
Hannah Hashman scored on a wild pitch …
Alexis Burton had a two run single …
Leah Arnett had an RBI single … and Hashman drew a bases-loaded walk. It was a lot.
In the fourth, Tressler -- suddenly a speed demon -- hit another triple, then scored on a pinch-hit double by Fickes. With two outs,
Taylor Forrest doubled home Fickes.
All the while, starter
Haley Gockstetter kept the Polar Bears at bay. She improved to 17-3 on the season, limiting ONU to four hits.
GAME TWO: BERG 6-9-0 ONU 3-10-0
Megan Miller put HU on top in the second with a double to center that scored Arnett. Bowe followed with an infield single that scored another. Meyer came through with a two-out, two-run double that put the hosts up 4-0.
To their credit, ONU plated three in the top of the third and only trailed by a run.
Heidelberg tacked on an insurance run in the fourth (on Meyer's 20th double of the year) and in the fifth (on a single by Hashman).
Forrest started the second game in the circle and went 2+ innings.
Kamryn Rastigue picked up the win, throwing 3.2 innings. Gockstetter returned to earn her second save of the season.
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL:
Heidelberg, the No. 4 seed, will square off with No. 5 Wilmington in the second game of the six-team, single-elimination tournament on Thursday. Mount Union, the No. 1 seed will host the event and receive a bye. No. 2 Muskingum will also receive a bye. No. 6 Capital faces No. 3 Baldwin Wallace in the first game on Thursday.
UP NEXT:
Heidelberg closes the regular season with a single game at Case Western Reserve University on Sunday afternoon.
