Live Stats at Bluffton | Live Stats at Capital
TIFFIN, Ohio—The Heidelberg University softball team will play four games in the next two days, taking on Bluffton University in a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday, March 27 at the Emery Sears Athletic Complex in Bluffton before opening Ohio Athletic Conference play Wednesday, March 28 at Clowson Field at Capital University. Both doubleheaders are slated for 3:30 p.m.
Live stats for Tuesday’s games at Bluffton will be available here.
Live stats for Wednesday’s contests, make-up games after Saturday’s scheduled doubleheader was postponed, will be available here.
Heidelberg (9-4) enters the week after being swept Sunday by Wittenberg University, dropping 6-4 and 9-0 decisions. Despite the losses, sophomore second baseman Erica Huffman (Strongsville) was 5-for-8 at the plate with a double and a run scored. Senior right handed pitcher Lexie Pinkelman (Metamora/Evergreen) and freshman righty Erica Jordan (Bellevue) both suffered losses on the mound.
Five ‘Berg regulars are hitting above the .300 mark, led by Huffman, who is seventh in the OAC with a .440 (22-for-50) batting average with eight runs batted-in and seven runs scored, and is ninth with a .462 on-base percentage. Senior first basemen Bessie Artino (Bellevue) is hitting .388 (19-for-49), leads the team with six doubles and a .510 slugging percentage, and is tied with sophomore third baseman Kelly Martz (Roseville, Mich./Lakeview) for third in the league with 15 RBI. Artino has also scored 11 runs. Sophomore left fielder Julie Okorn (Euclid) is pacing at .364 (12-for-33) for four RBI and eight runs. Sophomore center fielder Jami Wagner (Alvada/New Riegel) is hitting .341 (15-for-44) and her 16 runs are tied for third in the league. Martz his hitting an even .300 (15-for-50) and has scored nine runs.
On the mound, OAC pitcher of the week Ali Sayre (Sylvania/Northview), a junior southpaw, is 3-2 in six appearances, including four starts, with two complete games and one shutout. She has struck out 23 batters against only five walks and pitched to a league-leading 0.52 earned run average over 34.1 innings pitched. Pinkelman is 3-1 in six appearances (four starts) with 23 strikeouts against just eight walks and a 2.10 ERA in 25.2 innings. She is also tied for third in the OAC with three complete games. Freshman righty Christine Foster (Luckey/Eastwood) is 2-0 in three appearances (two starts) with a 1.20 ERA in 15.0 innings.
Bluffton (10-10) has lost four of its last six games following 9-1 and 5-4 losses to No. 23 Trine (Ind.) University nearly a week ago. Katie Clark was 4-for-5 for the day with a pair of doubles and one RBI.
Clark leads the Beavers offensively with a .393 (24-for-61) average, team-highs of two home runs and 14 RBI, and 10 runs scored. She also has an on-base-plus-slugging percentage of 1.087. Chelsie Osborne hits .364 (24-for-66) with one home run, eight RBI and 14 runs. Lindsay Robertson is pacing at .357 (20-for-56) with seven RBI and 10 runs. Emily Manahan is hitting .311 (19-for-61) with 10 RBI and seven runs scored.
Megan Patton and Chloe Shell anchor the pitching staff. Patton is 3-4 in 12 appearances, including eight starts, with three complete games, and 35 strikeouts and 21 walks and a 1.90 ERA over 55.1 innings. Shell is 5-3 in 11 appearances (eight starts) with three complete games of her own to go with 22 strikeouts against four walks and a 2.52 ERA in 50.0 innings.
Capital (9-5) is currently riding a four-game winning streak following a sweep Thursday against Denison University and faces Bethany (W.Va.) College today. Devan Boggs is tearing at .457 (21-for-46) with three home runs, 13 RBI, 15 runs scored and a 1.310 on-base-plus slugging percentage. Nicole George is hitting .400 (12-for-30) with five homers, 13 RBI, 13 runs scored and a 1.548 OPS. Courtney Dingess is batting .385 (10-for-26) with four RBI and four runs. Lexi Majoy is hitting .359 (14-for-39) with two long balls, 11 RBI, seven runs and a 1.055 OPS.
Alyssa Patznick anchors the pitching staff. Patznick is 6-0 in 11 appearances, including six starts, with a 4.17 ERA and 39 strikeouts over 49.2 innings pitcher. She has also recorded five complete games and one shutout.
Both Heidelberg and Capital is the last pair of teams to open OAC play. Due to Saturday’s rain out, Heidelberg will be forced to play 10 consecutive games on the road.
Following Wednesday’s doubleheader, the Berg will take on Wilmington College in an OAC doubleheader Saturday, March 31 in Wilmington.