Playing in Cincinnati, the Bluffton University softball team was on the wrong end of two Heartland Conference shutouts as Mount St. Joseph swept a pair of league contests on Tuesday, April 12, 2022. Bluffton slipped to 10-14 overall and 2-2 in the Heartland Conference, while MSJ improved to 21-6 and 5-1 in the conference.

Sydney Zinkon (Fresno/Ridgewood) reached on an infield hit in game one, while Lily Tate (Mount Gilead/Northmor), Bobbi Adams (Delaware/Rutherford B. Hayes) and Taylor Shimp (St. Marys/Memorial) all singled in the nightcap, but MSJ had too much firepower on Tuesday afternoon. The Lions took game one by a 9-0 count in five innings before capping the sweep with a 6-0 victory in game two.

Freshman Madison Jones (West Milton/Milton Union) fell to 3-3 after allowing nine runs on 10 hits in four innings of work in the lidlifter. Junior Erin Norman (Pleasant Hill/Newton) took the loss in game two, allowing five runs on seven hits in three innings. Sophomore Katie Fleshman (Delaware/Rutherford B. Hayes) gave up one run in 1.2 innings, while freshman Emily Buss (Kalida) tossed 1.1 scoreless frames in her first collegiate pitching appearance.

Bluffton will be back in action on Good Friday, April 15, when the Beavers travel to North Manchester, Ind., for a Heartland Conference double dipper with Manchester University. Game one is slated for 1 p.m.