March 27, 2012
By: Evan Skilliter, sports information assistant

BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University softball team swept an exciting doubleheader with the Heidelberg University Student Princes, winning both games by a single run. The Beavers improved to 12-10 on the season, while Heidelberg slipped to 9-6 overall.

The Student Princes got on the board early in game one, scoring two runs in the first on an RBI single by LEXIE PINKELMAN. The Beavers cut the lead to one in the bottom half of the inning when a KATIE CLARK (New Palestine, IN) single up the middle scored MEAGAN PRICE(Toledo/Springfield) from second.

The Beavers added two more runs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-2 lead. CHELSEA WEITZ (Dayton/Carroll) scored on a Price sacrifice fly to center field and SHELBY ERFORD(Paulding) crossed the dish on a passed ball as the inning ended with the Beavers on top.

Freshman CHLOE SHELL (Covington) finished the complete game by closing out the top of the seventh with a 1-2-3 inning, capping the 3-2 game one victory as she improved to 6-3. Shell allowed two runs on six hits while striking four and walking just one. Price led the offense in game one with a 1-for-2 performance at the plate. The senior backstop scored a run and drove in another.

Heidelberg started game two with a run in the first inning as a Pinkelman double scored ERICA HUFFMAN. The Beavers tied the game in the bottom of the second when BRITTANY BAKER(Springboro) scored on an error. The home team went up 2-1 in the bottom of the third on a MACKENZIE BEDLION (Marshallville/Smithville) RBI single over the first base bag that scored  LINDSAY ROBERTSON (Cincinnati/Northwest).

The Beavers were up 3-2 until a MEGAN REINHART two-run homer put the Student Princes back on top, 4-3. The Beavers answered in the bottom half as SHELBY WADE(Delaware/Buckeye Valley) scored on a CHELSIE OSBORNE (Chillicothe/Waverly) groundout, sending the two teams into the seventh inning tied at 3-3.

Both teams went down without a whimper in the seventh, but Heidelberg put up a run for the 4-3 lead in the top of the eighth when KELLY MARTZ singled to right field, scoring JAMI WAGNER.

Down one in the bottom of the eighth, freshman pinch hitter JENELLE THEISEN (Carleton MI/St. Mary CC) came through in the clutch, singling to right field and putting the tying run on first base with no outs. A Wade sacrifice bunt moved Thiesen over to second before a single to left field by sophomore CHRISTINA HREHOR (Austintown) moved the tying run to third with only one out. 

EMILY KOLEZYNSKI (Strongsville) came on to run for Hrehor. She advanced to second on wild pitch and then went to third on a Price single that scored Theisen and tied the game. Osborne then came through with an RBI ground ball to second that scored Kolezynski and ended the game with the Beavers on top, 5-4.

Price went 3-of-4 with an RBI and Osborne drove in two runs to lead the Bluffton offense. Game two starter MEGAN PATTON (Waynesfield/Perry) worked 5.1 innings, allowing three runs on six hits with four strikeouts and four walks. Sophomore KAYLA OWENS (Cincinnati/McAuley) needed just four pitches to close out the eighth as she improved to 3-3 when the Beavers plated two runs in the bottom of the frame.

The Beavers open Heartland Conference action when they welcome Mount St. Joseph on Saturday, March 31. The first game is slated to start at 2 p.m.

-BEAVERS-