Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 First place Heidelberg left town with a sigh of relief, as a gritty John Carroll squad took the Berg to the limit before dropping game two after already producing a rally that won game one.

Game 1 - John Carroll 4, Heidelberg 3

The John Carroll University Blue Streaks softball team stole game one from the Heidelberg Student Princes in a thrilling 4-3 win at Bracken Field.

Things would not go as planned, as the gloomy weather did not cooperate in the second inning with a brief downpour, causing the game officials to delay the game for 15 minutes.

The Blue Streaks hung around in today's game from a complete game pitching performance by Jenn Patterson, producing a seven inning effort only allowing four hits. Patterson faced 27 batters in game one, striking out five and walking two.

Heidelberg scored the first two runs of the day, after a two-run bomb by Kaitlyn Moore put the Student Princes up 2-0. Abbey McKee followed Moore's lead, adding an RBI double to establish a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.

Maggie Gannon put JCU on the scoreboard, cutting the deficit to only three runs at the end of the fourth inning with an RBI hit of her own.

The scoreboard remained the same for the fifth inning, as both offenses stalled off following a previous inning with runs scored between the two teams.

The tale was told in the sixth inning thanks to the efforts of Hannah Mizener, as she sent a 3-run home run over the left-center field wall to produce a 4-3 lead for the Blue and Gold. The inning began with a bloop single down the right field line by Olivia Schweiger, after which Lindsay McKnight followed with a single to left field.

For Mizener, it was her fourth home run of 2018 and the 17th of her career.

Patterson improved to 7-5 on the year.

Lindsay McKnight was the only batter between both teams to add two hits for herself in game one of the doubleheader.

Both teams only stranded three runners left on base, making the most of their scoring opportunities for the contest. The defensive performance was slick too, as both teams surrendered no runs in the field of play.

Game 2 - Heidelberg 7, JCU 6

After a late inning comeback in game one of today's doubleheader, the Blue Streaks were not able to provide the same spark as they did beforehand ... but they came close. Heidelberg captured game two of today's series, winning 7-6 in another close game filled with offense. Both teams combined for 22 hits, making it frustrating for the pitching staffs of both respective teams.

The Blue Streaks and the Student Princes were held scoreless for the first two innings of play, with only one hit for Heidelberg between seven batters.

The same would not stand true for the top of the third, as Heidelberg ignited an impressive five run inning lead by a one out lead-off single by Renee Lovett. Shelby Miller stepped up to the plate advancing Lovett to third to establish two runners in scoring position.

Casey Moore put the Princes on the scoreboard with a single to center field, scoring two runs.

The run parade would not end there. Piling on to the damage was power hitter McKee sending the ball over the center field fence for a two-run home run. Kaitlin Keys finished off the display of runs with a two out RBI double to center field, scoring Haylee Patel who reached base on a single following McKee's monster blast.

After the bottom of the third, Heidelberg would hold a 5-0 lead.

JCU refused to allow the Student Princes to steal the show on their own turf, with an active inning on offense of their own, with a RBI double by Lindsay McKnight, scoring Miranda Noday. Mizener kept the offense going, scoring McKnight with an RBI single.

Following a disappointing third inning for pitcher Jessica Cook, she rebounded with a solid fourth inning sending all two players back to the dugout gathering two outs.

Cook's day would be over with one out remaining in the fourth, closing out the day facing 19 batters and allowing five runs. Elizabeth O'Grady replaced Cook for two innings adding a strikeout, facing ten batters.

The Blue and Gold picked up in the fourth right where they left off in the third, adding another run thanks to an RBI single from Noday, cutting the lead to two.

Heading into the fifth inning, Heidelberg clung onto a 5-3 lead.

The Student Princes refused to let JCU keep their momentum, as Miller hit a two-run home run over the right field wall to extend the lead to 7-3.

JCU gave their best effort at a potential comeback, rallying three total runs between the sixth and seventh innings. Their efforts were not enough as Heidelberg escaped Bracken Field with a win in game two. That being said, JCU plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh and had the go-ahead run at the plate when the game ended on a deep fly ball.

Madison Eagle closed out the day for the Blue and Gold, allowing no hits in 1.1 innings. JCU received two-hit performances from Noday, Schweiger, McKinight, Mizener, Broski, and Fitzsimmons.

The Blue Streaks improved to 11-10 overall on the season, and 6-4 in the OAC after today's game against Heidelberg. That leaves JCU tied for fourth with Muskingum.