April 17, 2008
BLUFFTON, Ohio - Heidelberg College rallied for nine runs in the top of the seventh inning to complete a sweep of the Bluffton University softball team on Thursday, April 17, 2008. The Beavers had their nine-game winning streak snapped and fell to 18-14 with the losses, while the Student Princes improved to 6-22 on the season.
Heidelberg 3, Bluffton 2
Bluffton scored a run in the bottom of the first inning in game one thanks to leadoff double by MOLLY BROWN (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern). She moved up sixty feet on an infield single by TIFFANY BUCKMASTER (Lima/Bath) and crossed the plate on a passed ball.
After three scoreless innings by both squads, Heidelberg took advantage of a Bluffton error in the fifth when KATIE ALLENSPACH hit a two-run homer to left field for a 2-1 lead.
The Beavers knotted the game with a score in the bottom of the fifth inning, but Heidelberg kept the damage to a minimum despite walking a batter and giving up three hits when the Student Princes cut down Brown on her way to second following her infield single.
A leadoff walk to CRYSTAL KILLORAN paid dividends for the Student Princes in the top of the seventh. BOBBI KENDEIGH came on the pinch run and she moved up following a sacrifice bunt. One out later COREE PRICE doubled Kendeigh home for the 3-2 lead and victory when Bluffton failed to capitalize on back-to-back infield singles by TORRIE WILSON(Delphos/Jefferson) and Mollie Brown in the bottom of the seventh.
Bluffton out-hit the visitors 9-5, but three errors and bad decisions on the bases cost the Beavers in the loss to Heidelberg. Mollie Brown, who finished the day 5-of-8 at the plate, went 3-for-4 with a run scored in the opener. Tiffany Buckmaster was the only other Beaver with multiple hits in the first contest.
BROOKE BABCOCK (Findlay/Findlay) fell to 9-10 on the season despite giving up only three runs, two earned, on five hits over seven innings. She fanned five batters and issued only one free pass.
Heidelberg 14, Bluffton 11
Katie Curry opened the top of the second in game two with a home run to left field for a 1-0 Heidelberg lead.
Three Heidelberg errors and three walks allowed the Beavers to plate two runs in the bottom of the second. Heidelberg averted further damage, however, when Curry gunned down another would-be Bluffton base-stealer with no outs in the inning and when the visitors induced an inning-ending double play with the bases full.
The 'Berg took a 4-2 lead over Bluffton with three runs on four hits in the top of the fourth inning.
Although Bluffton picked up only two hits in the bottom of the frame, the Beavers pushed seven runs across the plate courtesy of three walks, two hit batters and a Heidelberg error. Wilson and Brown both singled for the home team in the fourth as Bluffton sent 12 batters to the plate.
The Student Princes scored a run in the fifth and Bluffton answered back with a score in the sixth before Heidelberg rallied from five runs down to take a 14-10 lead after posting a nine-spot, just one earned, in a seventh inning that would not end. Heidelberg used five hits and four Bluffton errors to push nine runs across the plate before the dust settled.
The Beavers tried to rally in the home half, loading the bases with no outs before JAYME MARBAUGH (Ohio City/Parkway) plated Wilson with a sacrifice fly to right field. LINDSEY MILLER'S (Wapakoneta/Wapakoneta) rocket shot with extra bases written all over it was hauled in at the last second by JERRICA SWEETNICH for the second out and Kenney grounded out to short as Allenspach picked up her second victory of the day after coming in with two down in the fourth.
Bluffton collected just six hits, three of them coming in inning seven, while the Student Princes scored 14 runs on 13 hits. Eight walks and three hit batters had the Beavers in command until the wheels came off in the seventh inning. Brown went 2-of-4 with two RBI and one run scored to lead the Bluffton offense. KAYLA WILLIAMS (Elida/Elida) drove in two runs and scored twice in the game two loss. ABBY SNIDER (Wapakoneta/Wapakoneta) also crossed the plate twice.
KELLIE KENNEY (Toledo/Emmanuel Baptist) fell to 9-4 after giving up 14 runs, six earned, on 13 hits in seven innings of work. She finished with three strikeouts and two walks.
Bluffton returns to action on Saturday, April 19, when the Beavers travel to Case Western Reserve. The first contest is slated to start at 1 p.m.
-BEAVERS-