Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | 26-Game Season Stats
TIFFIN, Ohio—After Saturday’s scheduled doubleheader against Marietta College was postponed due to rain, the Heidelberg University softball team split with Marietta College in an Ohio Athletic Conference twinbill today at Hedges Boyer Park in Tiffin, Ohio. Senior first baseman Bessie Artino (Bellevue) had two key at-bats in the first game en route to a 6-5 win in 11 innings. The Berg lost the second game by a 7-5 count.
In game one, Heidelberg (13-13, 3-6 OAC) took a 4-3 lead into the top of the seventh inning and tied the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh before Artino knocked in the game-winning run on a fielder’s choice in the 11th.
The Pioneers (17-13, 5-7 OAC) plated runs in the first and second innings before the Berg got on the board in the bottom half of the second. Sophomore left fielder Julie Okorn (Euclid) hit a one-out double, advanced to third, then scored on a passed ball to make the score 2-1.
Marietta extended its lead to 3-1 in the fifth as Michelle Sayre’s run batted-in single scored Sarah Mayo from second base.
Sophomore right fielder Melissa Lovati (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Lakeview) stole home in the fifth to cut the deficit to one and freshman Ashley Kessler (North Olmsted), pinch hitting in the sixth, laced a two-run single to give the Berg a 4-3 lead.
A sacrifice bunt and a hit batsman in the seventh put a pair of runners on for Hannah Tarski, who came up with a triple as Marietta retook a 5-4 lead.
In the ‘Berg seventh, a sacrifice bunt by sophomore shortstop Erica Huffman (Strongsville) combined with an error moved junior second baseman Bridget Moran (Lakewood/Senior) all the way to third base and a RBI single by Artino sent the game into extra innings.
Senior right hander Lexie Pinkelman (Metamora/Evergreen) and Alexis O’Hair battled each other on the mound through the eighth, ninth and 10th before Huffman beat the play at the plate to score the game-winner on Artino’s fielder’s choice in the 11th.
In addition to Artino, who was 2-for-6 with two RBI, sophomore centerfielder Jami Wagner (Alvada/New Riegel) was 3-for-6, Okorn was 2-for-5 with a run, and Lovati was 2-for-5 with a run scored.
Pinkelman improved to 4-4, allowing just three earned runs on 11 hits while striking out eight and walking four, and completed her sixth start of the season.
Four Pioneers had multi-hit games, led by Sayre, who was 2-for-5 with two RBI and one run scored.
O’Hair allowed five earned runs on 12 hits and walked five in 10.1 innings and was tagged with the loss to fall to 10-5.
In the second game, Pinkelman blasted a two-run homer and the Berg tacked on three more runs in the third to move out to a 5-0 lead.
A two-run single by Allison Keller anchored a three-run sixth for Marietta. The Pioneers put the first four runners on base and scored a run in the seventh before Kessler relieved junior left hander Ali Sayre (Sylvania/Northview). Marietta plated three more in the final frame and Hazel Brogdon retired the side in the seventh to hang on for the win.
Pinkelman was 1-for-3 at the plate with three RBI and a run, while six others had a hit. Artino scored twice.
Sayre allowed all seven runs (five earned) on nine hits over 6.0 innings and struck out three, but suffered the loss to fall to 4-7. Kessler struck out one in an inning of work.
Katie Swejk was 2-for-3 at the plate with a run and Sayre was 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run to lead the Pioneers.
Bogdon allowed just two earned runs over seven hits in a complete game effort.
The Berg returns to the diamond Tuesday to face Baldwin-Wallace College in an OAC doubleheader in Berea before returning to Tiffin for a six-game homestand.