ADRIAN, Mich. - At the Adrian College Softball Field, the homestanding Bulldogs welcomed Heidelberg University for their home-opener. However, it was the visiting Student Prices spoiling the homecoming, defeating the black and gold, 5-3 and 12-6.
 
Game 1: Adrian 3, Heidelberg 5

The Berg got off to a quick start on Monday afternoon, rattling Bulldog starter Natalie Mathers for two runs in the opening inning, that would ultimately prove to be the deciding factor in game one.

Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning, the 'Dogs earned one back after a Savannah Godfrey infield-single plated Ava Ferrarelli.

The Student Princes restored their two-run cushion in the top half of the fourth inning, but Adrian answered right back.

In the bottom of the same frame, Pinch-runner Nevaeh Ginger found her way home off the bat of Ferrarelli. Then, on the following at-bat, Godfrey tacked on an RBI with a sacrifice fly out, plating Katie Connolly to knot the game at 3-3.

Heidelberg, though, got the last word, dropping another pair of runs in the top leg of the sixth, and holding off the 'Dogs defensively from there out to preserve the win.

Six different Bulldogs contributed hits in the opening game, while in the circle, Mathers finished with seven hits allowed and three earned runs over 5.1 innings pitched, before being relieved by Macee Schang, who worked through 1.2 hitless innings.
 
Game 2: Adrian 6, Heidelberg 12

The Student Princes' offense continued to roll into the second game, compiling 12 hits to match their run total, including seven of those hits over the first and seventh innings.

Once again, the Berg opened with two runs in the top half of the first inning, only this time, it proceeded to tally on another set of runs and build its advantage to 4-0 by the third frame.

The 'Dogs, nevertheless, had a rally brewing in their third trip to the plate.

With the bases loaded, Hailey DeChalk got Adrian on the board with a sacrifice liner to the Berg's leftfielder. Lauren McCulligh followed that up with an RBI-double to score Genna Marasco, trimming the deficit down to two runs.

Later in the inning, after a change in the circle, the Bulldogs moved quickly to try and fluster the visitor's new pitcher. A fielder's choice-RBI by Ferrarelli did just that, bringing Adrian to within one of tying the contest. Then, on the next at-bat, senior Bethany Perry connected on a two-out single. Thanks to a fielding miscue by the Berg on the play, Ginger was able to make a swift dash for the plate and draw the Bulldogs level, 4-4.

From that point, however, the Student Princes took control, scoring eight runs over the next four innings, including six in the seventh, to put the game on ice.

In game two, DeChalk paced the Adrian offense with three hits and an RBI, followed by Ferrarelli, who closed with two hits.
 
The Bulldog softball team (3-9) will travel to Bluffton on Tuesday afternoon in the hopes of beating out an incoming rain shower. For that, the game times for that doubleheader have each been moved up one hour, and are now set for 2 and 4 p.m.
 
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