TIFFIN, Ohio - Sixth year head coach Betsy Hada and the Heidelberg University softball team dealt the Capital Crusaders a pair of losses, 5-2, 5-3 to move to 15-9 overall and 4-6 in the Ohio Athletic Conference.

"The pitchers threw well today and you can't have good pitching without good defense," said Hada. "We hit the ball well, made plays defensively, and Paige and Erin each had solid days on the mound. It was an all around team effort."

In the first game, sophomore Paige Atterholt took the mound against the Crusaders. Her complete game agaisnt the Crusaders marks the sixth of the season.

The Berg exploded offensively to jump ahead 4-0 first inning. With the bases loaded and one out, sophomore Mikaela Mitsch rapped a two RBI single down the left field line that scored senior Jami Wagner, and freshman Caiti Overholt.

The Student Princes extended their advantage on a fielder's choice from sophomore Kayla Zachrich, which scored Marissa Smego. Zachrich was plated from second on the ensuing at bat on a Kyleah Brey double to left field.

Atterholt kept the Crusaders scoreless until they earned their only two runs of the game in the fourth. Capital's Maura Rose dinged a two run home run to left field to cut the 'Berg lead in half.

In the Berg half of the fourth, the Student Princes extended their lead once more.

Freshman Taylor Hicks led off the inning with a double to left center. Wagner grounded out for the first out of the inning which moved Hicks to third. Sopohmore Lisa Simmons knocked a single to right field to plate Hicks.

On the day, Simmons finished a combined five of eight at the plate with one RBI, one run, and a double. However, Zachrich led the Berg ladies offensively with four RBI's. 

Atterholt retired the Crusaders to earn The Berg their first win of the day and her eighth of the season.

Hada's freshman right hander, Erin Chapman pitched the second contest and picked up where Atterholt left off. The Holt, Mich. native threw her 11th complete game of the year by striking out four and relying on a stellar defensive effort.

Offensively, the Student Princes were led by the bats of Smego and Zachrich who combined to drive in all of The Berg's runs.

Smego nabbed her two RBI's in the bottom of the first. The Parma native rapped a long single to centerfield scoring Simmons and Overholt. The Crusaders proceeded to answer with two runs of their own in the second. An RBI triple paired with an RBI single brought the game back to even before Chapman and the Berg defense escaped the inning.

In the bottom of the third, the Student Princes crept ahead of Capital once more.

After Overholt flied out to right field and Mitsch smashed a line drive to the glove of the Crusader first baseman, Smego entered the box. She knocked a single to right field to keep the Berg alive. Brey earned a walk to bring up Zachrich with two outs. The shortstop tapped a ball that the Capital second baseman couldn't handle, scoring Smego.

Zachrich earned her second and third RBI's of game two in the bottom of the fifth to push the Student Princes ahead, 5-2. With one down, Mitsch rapped a double to left field before Smego slapped a single to right field.

With freshman Kendra Pratt, who entered the game as a pinch runner for Mitsch on second and Smego on first, Hada made an offensive change. Freshman Rachel Garris came on to pinch run for Smego, and the freshman stole second to put two Student Princes into scoring position.

Brey popped out to third before Zachrich batted in the pair of freshman.

In their final at-bat, the Crusader's bats got hot and they began to threaten the Berg's 5-2 advantage.

After Capital's lead off batter grounded out to Chapman for the first out of the inning, pair of singles led to an RBI double by Rose. On a two out fielder's choice by Therese Becker, the Berg retired the lead runner on their way home. With runner's on the corner, a wild pitch from Chapman moved two Crusaders into scoring position.

With the go-ahead run at the plate, Chapman stood poised and forced a ground ball to Zachrich to earn the seventh win of her freshman campaign.

"The team believes in themselves," said Hada. "They believe in their training. We have Marietta next but the girls know to take it one day at a time. We will prepare for our first game on Saturday and a tough Marietta squad."

The Berg will take their 15-9 record to the 13-5 Pioneers of Marietta College this Saturday, April 12. First pitch from Marietta Field is scheduled for 1 p.m.