WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- The Heidelberg University softball team opened up the 2023 season with a Sunday split at The Spring Games.  Caitlin Dems hurled a two-hit shutout in a 4-0 win over UMass - Dartmouth in the opener.  In the second game, Nebraska Wesleyan pulled away late in a 10-0 'Berg loss.  

BERG 4   UMass DARTMOUTH 0
Scoreless in the top of the third, Ryann Ramacciatti drew a leadoff walk.  Meghan Bame followed with a towering two-run homer down the left field line -- her second career home run.  

In the fourth, Aubrey Conklin -- who was serenaded by her teammates and about 150 strangers on Flight 3110 while celebrating her birthday on Saturday -- walked to start the inning.  Pinch runner Morgan Woycitzky moved to second on a groundout and scored on an error.  

Jessica Voitko capped the scoring in the sixth, drawing a bases-loaded walk that forced in Bella Fuentes.  

While the offense did enough to get by, starter Caitlin Dems dazzled.  She held the Corsairs to two hits, throwing the first seven-inning complete game shutout of her career.  

Behind Dems, the 'Berg outfield was phenomenal.  Right fielder Gabbie Stallbaum made a sliding, shoestring grab in the second.  Halie Monhollen made a catch at the center field fence to end the fourth, tumbling over the barrier and robbing a two-run homer.  She followed that up with a diving catch in the gap in the sixth.  In left, Hanna Blasinsky caught everything hit her way.  

Heidelberg mustered three hits, but drew five walks and one hit-by-pitch.  


NEB. WESLEYAN 10   BERG 0
The Prairie Wolves scored two unearned runs in the top of the first before their starting pitcher wriggled out of a jam in the bottom of the inning.  

From there, the game settled down until NWU scored three in the fourth, one in the fifth and sixth, and three more in the seventh.  

All the while, Heidelberg was held to two hits -- both by Voitko.  

Voitko got the start in the circle, allowing four runs (two earned) in 3.2 innings.  Payton Schied, Kailyn Kroll, Ryley Pittman and Hailey Schink all worked in relief.  


UP NEXT:  
A small change was made in the Monday schedule.  Heidelberg will start with Aurora at 9 a.m., as scheduled.  Instead of playing Hiram in the afternoon, the Student Princes will play Trine at 2 p.m.