Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 TIFFIN, Ohio – The Marietta College softball team split an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader at Heidelberg University Sunday (April 15) afternoon. The Student Princes won the first game, an 11-inning thriller, by the score of 6-5. The Pioneers bounced back to take game two 7-5. [Game One Box] [Game Two Box]

Marietta is now 17-13 on the season and 5-7 in the OAC. Heidelberg is 13-13 overall and 3-6 in league play.

The Pioneers took an early lead in the first game with unearned runs in each of the first two innings. Heidelberg got one run back in the bottom of the second making the score 2-1.

Marietta led 3-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth and gave up two unearned runs giving the Student Princes their first lead of the game, 4-3.

In the top of the seventh third baseman Sarah Mayo (Proctorville/Chesapeake) reached on a one-out single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by catcher Marissa McDaniel.

Down to their final out, the Pioneers got the go ahead run on base when shortstop Michelle Sayre (Ripley, W.Va./Ripley) was hit by a pitch. Center fielder Hannah Tarski (Independence/Independence) followed with a two-run triple giving Marietta the lead, 5-4.

Heidelberg second baseman Bridget Moran led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and moved into scoring position on a sac bunt. First baseman Bessie Artino tied the game with an RBI-single that scored Moran.

With the score tied 7-7, the Pioneers loaded the bases with one out in the top of the eighth and got two runners on with one out in the ninth but failed to score both innings.

In the bottom of the eleventh, the Student Princes' Erica Huffman got hit by a pitch with one out. Jami Wagner followed with an infield single moving Huffman to second. On the play a Marietta error allowed Huffman to move to third. Artino knocked in Huffman with a ground ball to end the game, 6-5.

Lexie Pinkelman (4-4) went the distance in the circle for Heidelberg. Pinkelman allowed five runs, three earned, on 11 base hits. She walked four and struck out eight.

Freshman Alexis O'Hair (10-5) tossed 10.1 innings in the losing effort. She gave up six runs, three earned, on 12 hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Second baseman Katie Swejk (Tallmadge/Tallmadge), Mayo, Sayre and right fielder Kirstie Welch (Pickerington/North) each had two hits in the game for the Pioneers. Sayre had a double and two runs batted in, while Tarski recorded a triple and two RBI.

The Student Princes carried the momentum from game one into the start of the second game. Heidelberg scored two in the first and three in the third to take a 5-0 lead.

Junior Ali Sayre (4-7) shutout the Pioneers through the first five innings before running into trouble in the top of the sixth. Sayre ended up going six innings and allowed seven runs, five earned, on nine hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Mayo led off the sixth with a walk. Following a pop out, Sayre singled and Tarski reached on an error loading the bases. Welch grounded out to the second baseman scoring Mayo. With two outs, first baseman Allison Keller drove in Sayre and Tarski with a base hit cutting the Heidelberg lead to 5-3.

Marietta loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh. Swejk tripled and Mayo reached on an infield single. Back to back walks issued to McDaniel and Sayre scored Swejk and chased Ali Sayre from the mound. Ashley Kessler took over in the circle for the Student Princes.

Tarski reached on a fielder's choice that plated Mayo and tied the game, 5-5. With runners at first and third and one out, Tarski stole second and moved to third when the throw got away at second base allowing McDaniel to score. Welch grounded out scoring Tarski and giving Marietta a 7-5 lead.

Senior Hazel Brogdon (Chugiak, Alaska/Chugiak) (2-2) retired the Student Princes in order in the sixth and seventh innings to secure the win. Brogdon pitched seven innings and allowed five runs, just two earned, on seven hits. She didn't walk a batter and struck out one.

Swejk was 2-for-4 with a double and a triple. Sayre went 2-for-3. Welch and Keller each drove in two runs.

The Pioneers host Otterbein University on Tuesday (April 17) for a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader at Marietta Field.