JAN PHYL VILLAGE, Florida -- The Heidelberg University softball returned to action on Thursday and salvaged another split -- their third of the Florida trip. Poor defensive execution resulted in a 6-4 loss to Carnegie Mellon, and a three-run sixth inning played a key role in a 5-3 win over Johnson & Wales.
Murissa Drown had four hits on the day, including her first collegiate home run.
Jessica Voitko picked up three hits and pitched her way to a win in the second game.
CARNEGIE MELLON 6 HEIDELBERG 4
The Student Princes tallied a single run in each of the first three innings.
Jessica Voitko hit a long single to plate
Hanna Blasinsky in the first,
Murissa Drown homered to lead off the second, and
Meghan Bame was hit by a pitch with the bases full in the third.
Carnegie Mellon scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth and tied the game with an unearned run in the fifth.
Heidelberg responded in the top of the sixth. Blasinsky reached on an error and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by
Gabbie Stallbaum.
Emma Dean followed with a sacrifice fly that put HU ahead 4-3.
CMU responded with a three-run sixth, taking a 6-4 lead. HU went down in order in the seventh.
Caitlin Dems worked 5.1 innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on seven hits.
Hailey Schink worked the final 0.2 innings.
HEIDELBERG 5 JOHNSON & WALES 3
Three walks and a fielder's choice gave HU a 1-0 in the bottom of the first.
Tied at 1 in the bottom of the fourth, Drown singled to left center and gave way to pinch runner
Morgan Woycitzky. After advancing to second on a ground out, Woycitzky scurried home on a single through the right side of the infield by Stallbaum.
A two-out, two-run single in the top of the sixth gave the lead back to JWU momentarily.
In the bottom of the sixth, Voitko hit a ground rule double down the right field line and was replaced by pinch runner Bella Fuentes. Drown dropped in a double just inside the right field line that allowed Fuentes to advance to third.
Jade Torres drew a walk, but on ball four, the ball bounced away from the catcher which allowed Fuentes to cross the plate with the tying run. With two outs and the bases loaded, Bame was hit by another pitch -- her third plunk of the day -- and Torres trotted home. Stallbaum later scored on another wild pitch.
Ahead 5-3, Voitko worked around a lead off single in the top of the seventh to seal the victory. She worked a complete game, striking out seven.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
Through the first eight games, Bame has been hit by four pitches this season. She wore four pitches in 32 games a year ago.
UP NEXT
Heidelberg, now 3-5 on the season, wraps up the 10-game Florida trip with games against Gordon and Monmouth, starting at 2 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Pete Divito, Johnson & Wales Athletics
