Wittenberg Swept In Heartbreaking Fashion By Thomas More

CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. - The Wittenberg Tigers came back from a Spring Break trip to California beaten but unbowed - and ready for the next challenge. Unfortunately, despite a change of scenery from the sunshine state to the chilly realities of spring in the Midwest, the Tigers came up on the short end of the stick two more times on Thursday, losing a pair of heartbreakers to the Thomas More Saints.

The losses dropped Wittenberg to an uncharacteristic 1-9 to open the 2005 season, including four losses to Thomas More, which improved to 11-5 overall. The two teams met twice at the Sunwest Tournament at Chapman University in Orange, Calif. More trouble looms for the Tigers as they head to nationally ranked perennial powerhouse Muskingum for two games on Saturday.

In Thursday's opener, a 6-4 loss, Wittenberg took the lead in the first inning on an RBI double by senior Norah Gillam that plated senior Ashley Lands, but Thomas More scored twice in the third inning. The Tigers answered with two scores in the fourth and another in the fifth before the roof caved in with a four-run Thomas More sixth inning. Five hits and a sacrifice bunt plated the four runs, with all six runs in the game credited to Wittenberg sophomore pitcher Grace Wigton, who started and allowed 12 hits and three walks in the game. Freshman Taryn Hensel relieved and allowed just one hit and no runs in an inning of work.

Lands finished the game 3-for-4 from the leadoff position. Runs batted in were credited to Lands, Gillam, sophomore Stephanie Zorn and freshman Sarah Fetters, the first four batters in the Tiger lineup.

In the second game, Wittenberg again took a lead into the late innings, only to fall on a walk-off home run, 4-3.

After the teams matched goose eggs in the first three innings, Wittenberg struck first with three scores in the fourth inning. Zorn had an RBI single, Wigton added a bases loaded walk for an RBI and sophomore Lucy Huelsman chipped in with a fielders choice that plated a run.

Thomas More responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and the game-tying run in the sixth inning, setting the stage for a dramatic seventh inning. The Saints' Sommer Case connected for Thomas More's second homer of the game and the third of the doubleheader with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning off Hensel, the Tigers' starter.

Hensel allowed four earned runs on eight hits and five walks in the game. Offensively, Lands and Zorn each finished with two base hits, but all five Wittenberg batters to reach base did it with singles, in addition to one walk.