Softball blasts Heidelberg to set up showdown for OAC Regular Season Title

The Muskingum softball team blasted the Heidelberg Student Princes on Saturday. The Muskies claimed the opener, 10-2 in five innings and secured game two, 13-3 in five innings. The Muskie sweep now sets up a showdown next Saturday, April 27 for the Ohio Athletic Conference Regular Season Title when the Muskies host the Ohio Northern Polar Bears for Senior Day. 

Softball blasts Heidelberg to set up showdown for OAC Regular Season Title
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April 18, 2019
The Muskingum softball team blasted the Heidelberg Student Princes on Saturday. The Muskies claimed the opener, 10-2 in five innings and secured game two, 13-3 in five innings. The Muskie sweep now sets up a showdown next Saturday, April 27 for the Ohio Athletic Conference Regular Season Title when the Muskies host the Ohio Northern Polar Bears for Senior Day. Game time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
 
THE BASICS
  • Records: Muskingum  (29-19 overall, 13-3 OAC), Heidelberg (12-20 overall, 5-11 OAC)
  • Location: New Concord, Ohio - Donna J. Newberry Field
  • Weather: Sunny, 78 Degrees

NOTABLES

  • Following the sweep, Muskingum now stands at 13-3 in the OAC. The Muskies trail first place Ohio Northern (14-2) by one game. A sweep by Muskingum next Saturday against the Polar Bears would secure the OAC Regular Season Title and give the Muskies the top-seed in the OAC Tournament which would be hosted by Muskingum and played at Donna J. Newberry Field.
  • Senior Krissy Hughes belted two doubles on the day to set the new school record for doubles in a season with 21. The old mark of 20 was held by Kim Tackett (2007) and Heather Fields (2006). Hughes also scored five runs to tie the school mark held by Mandy Carnes (2002) for runs scored in a season with 53. Earlier this season, Hughes set the school records for stolen bases in a season and career.
GAME ONE
 
In the bottom of the second inning, the Student Princes registered one run on two hits to jump out to an early 1-0 lead. The Muskies retaliated with 10 unanswered runs en route to the dominating 10-2 victory. 
 
Senior Krissy Hughes fired up the Muskies in the top of the third inning with an RBI double to left center to tie the score 1-1. Sophomore Jaelyn Meade then singled through the left side, to score Hughes and give the Muskies a 2-1 edge on the Student Princes. Freshman Haley Hawk expanded the gap with an RBI single up the middle. Senior Kylie Zifer rounded out the scoring for the Muskies with an RBI single to left field, to widen the lead to 4-1.
 
In the top of the fourth inning, sophomore Riley Powers blasted an RBI single up the middle, to score Hughes and give the Muskies a four-run edge on Heidelberg (5-1). Powers then scored on a Student Prince error to extend the lead to 6-1. Senior Rachel Eberling singled to third base, to score Meade and expand the deficit to 7-1.
 
The Muskies recorded three runs on three hits in the top of the fifth to expand the lead to 10-1. Heidelberg retaliated with one run on one hit in the bottom of the fifth inning in an attempt to close the gap, but the Muskies could not be halted. 
 
Hughes went 3-for-4 at the plate and guided the Muskies with two RBIs and cranked two doubles. Powers went 2-for-3 at the plate and recorded two RBIs. Meade, Hawk, Eberling, and Zifer chipped in one RBI each. 
 
Eberling recorded her 11th victory of the season for the Muskies after pitching a complete game three-hitter, with three strikeouts. 
 
Abby Barno led the Student Princes with one RBI, while Kennedy Conney belted one double. Stephanie Drapp took the loss for Heidelberg after tossing 4.1 innings, allowing nine runs on 11 hits, with three strikeouts.
 
GAME TWO
 
The Student Princes capitalized on Muskie errors in the bottom of the first inning to slide past the Muskies with a score of 2-0.
 
Hawk answered back with a home run down the left line to get the Muskies within one run of Heidelberg (2-1). Sophomore Karsyn Shaffer then hit a sacrifice fly to center field, to score Eberling and tie up play at 2-2.
 
Casey Moore registered an RBI single to left field to give Heidelberg a 3-2 edge on the Muskies. 
 
The Muskies took the 4-3 lead in the top of the third inning when Meade cranked a two-run home run. Junior Kasey Rininger expanded the deficit with a two-run double to left center. Shaffer then singled through the left side, to score Zifer and give the Muskies a 7-3 advantage on the Student Princes. Hughes closed out the inning for the Muskies with a three-run home run to expand the lead to 10-3.
 
Muskingum registered one run in the fourth inning and two runs in the fifth inning to lock in the sweep over Ohio Athletic Conference opponent Heidelberg. 
 
Hughes went 2-for-4 at the plate and directed the Muskies with three RBIs and blasted one home run. Hawk went 3-for-4 at the plate, amassed three RBIs, and tallied one home run. Meade registered two RBIs and cranked one home run. Rininger went 2-for-2 at the plate and logged three RBIs, while Shaffer went 1-for-2 at the plate and chipped in two RBIs. Hawk, Eberling, and Rininger tallied one double each. 
 
Freshman Hannah Smith recorded her 11th victory in the circle for the Muskies. Smith pitched a complete game five hitter, with one strikeout. 
 
Moore guided the Student Princes with one RBI. Kaitlyn Moore took the loss for Heidelberg, after tossing 2.1 innings, allowing eight runs on five hits, with one strikeout. Morgan Daniels saw action in 2.2 innings, allowing five runs on six hits, with a game-best three strikeouts.