SPRINGFIELD, OHIO  --  The Hiram College softball team lost both games of a North Coast Athletic Conference doubleheader against Wittenberg University in Springfield.  The Terriers lost the first game, 9-1 in five innings, and fell in game two, 9-5.

In the first game, Wittenberg (13-6, 4-4 NCAC) jumped out early scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning and went on to add another run in the second to lead 4-0.  Hiram (8-18, 2-6 NCAC) scored what turned out to be its only run of the game in the top of the fourth on a RBI sacrifice fly by sophomore Angela Perella (Lyndhurst/Beaumont) making the score 4-1.  The Tigers put the game away in the fifth inning crossing the plate five times to go up by the score of 9-1 putting the eight-run mercy rule into effect for the overall victory.

Hiram was held hitless in game one.  The lone Terrier run was set up by a walk and two hit-by-pitches later resulting in the Perella sacrifice flyout.

On the mound, freshman Meghan Garland (Mineral Ridge) started the game and pitched three and two-thirds innings allowing seven runs on 11 hits and had two strikeouts.  She was also credited with the loss and is now 6-7 overall for the season.  Fellow freshman Taylor Miller (Kent/Roosevelt) came one to pitch an inning of relief giving up two runs and struck out one batter.

In game two, Hiram again trailed early as Wittenberg scored a run in the bottom of the first inning to grab the one-run lead.  The Tigers then took control with a six-run third inning that included back-to-back homeruns to extend the margin to 7-0.  The Terriers got on the board in the fourth on a RBI single by Perella to narrow the gap to 7-1.  Hiram also added a run in the sixth with a RBI groundout by sophomore Samantha Zuponcic (Mantua/Crestwood), but Wittenberg tacked on two runs in the bottom of the inning to make the score 9-2 heading into the final inning.  The Terriers looked to rally in the seventh with three runs highlighted by an RBI sacrifice fly by sophomore Janie Linger (Akron/Firestone) and a RBI single by Zuponcic with one out.  The Zuponcic RBI single turned out to be the final run for the Terriers as Wittenberg recorded the final two outs in back-to-back Hiram at-bats to go on to post the 9-5 victory.

Hiram posted eight hits in the second game led by junior Jessica Bolanz (Randolph/Waterloo) who finished a perfect three-for-three with a pair of runs scored.  Zuponcic also record three hits and finished three-of-four overall with two RBI.  Perella and freshman Danielle Latine (Eastlake/North) were the other two Terrier players to record a base hit in the game.  Perella finished one-of-three with a run scored and a RBI, while Latine recorded one hit in four at-bats.

Freshman Sarah Berger (Rittman) started on the mound in game two and pitched two and two-thirds innings allowing five runs on five hits and had one strikeout.  She also suffered the loss and drops to 0-2 overall for the season.  Miller pitched the final three-and-a-third innings giving up four runs on six hits and had two strikeouts.

Hiram is scheduled to host Ohio Wesleyan University in a NCAC doubleheader on Tuesday, Apr. 16 at Myrtis E. Herndon Field.  The first game is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.