March 18, 2018
By: Colton Steiner, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University softball squad took to the field in their 2018 home opener, welcoming Heidelberg University for a doubleheader on Sunday, March 18. The Beavers would pick up a 7-6 comeback victory after a walk-off 2-run double by JOSIE McELROY (Mt. Orab/Western Brown) in the lidlifter, before droping a 13-10 thriller in game two which makes them 4-10 following the split.
The Beavers would get on the board first in game one after an RBI single by COURTNEY JASINSKI (Englewood/Northmont) scored MAKENZIE SCHMIDT (Caledonia/River Valley). Heidelberg came back with a pair in the top of the third to jump ahead 2-1.
Bluffton answered in the bottom of the inning after a sacrifice fly by CAYLIN MORSTADT (Delaware/Rutherford B. Hayes) picked up BRITTANY HUFF (Clayton/Northmont). The teams each added a run late in the game, making it 3-3 before heading into extra innings.
The Student Princes exploded for three runs in the eighth to take a seemingly insurmountable 6-3 lead. Bluffton would get a run to start the bottom of the eighth after an RBI single by Makenzie Schmidt. An RBI double by Brittany Huff cut the deficit to 6-5 before Josie McElroy followed with a two-run double to right center as Bluffton rallied for the 7-6 walk-off!
Going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with a sacrifice bunt, Brittany Huff would lead the charge for the Beavers, scoring three times and knocking home an RBI. She smoked four straight doubles in game one and then added another for good measure in her first trip to the plate in game two! Makenzie Schmidt and Josie McElroy each added three hits in the contest while Courtney Jasinski countered with a hit and an RBI.
Freshman KATIE MCCORD (Lawrenceburg, Ind./Lawrenceburg) nailed down the win for Bluffton, getting her first collegiate victory in the process after recording the final two outs in the top of the eighth. Senior NICOLE THOMAS (Tontogany/Otsego) took care of the lion's share of the work, going 7.1 innings while allowing two earned runs off 11 Heidelberg hits. Thomas walked three batters and fanned one in her 100 pitches of work.
After a 20-minute break, Bluffton jumped back into action to kick off the second game of the doubleheader against the Student Princes. Bluffton would score a run in each of the first three innings, but a run in the second and two in the third for Heidelberg made it 3-3 heading into the fourth.
The visitors took a 4-3 lead in the fourth inning before the Student Princes exploded for six runs in the fifth to jump ahead 10-3. The home team would not go down without a fight as a Josie McElroy solo shot down the left field line made it 10-4. A run off an error and a MEGAN HILL (Arcadia) RBI single cut the gap to 10-6.
After Heidelberg scored a run in the top of the sixth, the Beavers continued to fight as back-to-back homers by Brittany Huff and Josie McElroy made the score 11-8 in the bottom of the sixth. Bluffton added two more tallies in the frame thanks a run-scoring double by Courtney Jasinski and an RBI single by JESSIE MADZIA (Massillon/Tuslaw), cutting the deficit to one.
Heidelberg tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh to extend their lead to 13-10. The Beavers were able to get runners on the corners in the bottom half but came up empty as Heidelberg secured the split with a 13-10 victory.
Bluffton was all over the zone, connecting on 17 hits after 13 safeties in game one. Leading the way for the Beavers was Josie McElroy who went 5-of-5 (two home runs), recording her fourth and fifth dingers of the season while knocking in three runs. Brittany Huff added four hits and scored three times, going 8-of-9 in the series with five straight two-baggers. Caylin Morstadt and Jessie Madzia each notched a pair of hits and two runs apiece.
Taking the loss on the hill was Jessie Madzia who fell to 1-5 on the year in her 5.0 innings of work. The senior allowed six earned runs off eight hits while walking two batters. Katie McCord would record the lone strikeout for Bluffton in 2.0 innings on the mound, allowing two earned runs on six hits.
Bluffton will look to come back from this loss when the Beavers face off against Alma College at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, March 23, at home. Come out and support your Beavers!
-BEAVERS-
