The Bluffton University softball team dropped a pair of contests at Heidelberg University on a cold Tuesday, March 22, 2011. The Beavers fell to 8-7 on the season while Heidelberg upped its mark to 10-2 overall.
Bluffton plated a pair of runs in the top of the first inning for a short-lived 2-0 lead over host Heidelberg. Junior catcher Meagan Price (Toledo/Springfield) and senior Tiffany Buckmaster (Lima/Bath) drew a pair of walks to start the game. A Shelby Erford (Paulding) sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position with one out. Ashley Manusos (Spring Grove, Ill./McHenry Community East) reached thanks to a Heidelberg miscue which sent Price home. One out later, Emily Manahan (Columbus/Bishop Watterson) made it 2-0 when her single plated Manusos.
The Beavers maintained their two-run cushion until the home half of the third when Heidelberg found its sticks to the tune of 10 runs on eight hits with one Bluffton error. Ashley Stromack did her share of the damage with two home runs in the inning, including a grand slam which made it 10-2 after just three frames. She led off the third with a solo shot and cleared the bases nine batters later and before Bluffton could record an out. A Beaver miscue and back-to-back bunt singles following the first Stromack shot set up Bridget Moran for a two-run single to center. Hannah Brumit followed with an RBI-double and the rout was on.
Bluffton managed just three hits while the home team pounded out 13 safeties, including two home runs and three doubles. Kayla Owens (Cincinnati/McAuley) fell to 3-4 on the season after surrendering 14 runs on 13 hits in four innings of work. She struck out two and walked one batter in the loss.
The home team scored a run in the first and two more in the third to take a 3-0 lead over the Beavers in game two. Bluffton made it a two-run game in the fourth when Emily Manahan (Columbus/Bishop Watterson) singled home freshman Shelby Erford (Paulding) with one out.
Heidelberg came right back with three tallies in the bottom of the frame, punctuated with a two-run Artino single to center. The Student Princes ended it in the sixth when Huffman's two-bagger to right center drove in a pair of runs for a 9-1 mercy-rule victory.
Bluffton finished with five hits on the game, compared to 14 for the Berg. Kayla Owens slipped to 3-5 for the season after allowing three runs on six hits in 2.1 innings of work. Seeing her first collegiate action in the circle, junior Emily Manahan gave up six runs on eight hits over the final 3.2 frames.
The Beavers get back into Heartland Conference action when the travel to Cincinnati for a doubleheader with Mount St. Joseph on Saturday, March 26, 2011. The first contest is slated for 1 p.m.
