Freshman Kirsten Burden throws first career shutout to lead Softball in OAC split with Mt Union

By Tim Glon

ADA -- Freshman Kirsten Burden threw a 6-hit shutout to lead Ohio Northern to a double header split with Mount Union on Sunday at the ONU Softball Field.

The Polar Bears move to 9-11 overall and 2-2 in the OAC, while the Purple Raiders move to 8-6-1, 2-2.

Burden struck out six batters to earn her first collegiate win and improves to 1-5 on the season as ONU won the nightcap 8-0 in five innings after MtU won the opener 4-3.

 In Game 1, junior Adriana Sikora drilled her OAC-leading ninth home run of the season to lead off the bottom of the first inning for Ohio Northern.

Northern pulled within 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth when junior Kelly Sheridan doubled and scored on a single by senior Taylor Manahan.

Sophomore Anne Dreher hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth frame to score senior Christin Miller to make it a 4-3 contest.

But ONU could not get the equalizer across the plate in the sixth or seventh innings.

In Game 2, senior Carly McKenzie drilled a 1-out triple and scored on a single by junior Jamie Westenkirchner in the bottom of the first to give ONU an early 1-0 lead.

Northern added to its lead in the home half of the third as Dreher doubled and scored on a single by Miller.

Sheridan followed with a double of her own to score Miller and it was a 3-0 Polar Bear advantage.

Northern got two more runs in the bottom of the fourth when Westenkirchner singled home McKenzie and later scored on a Purple Raider error.

Northern put the game away with three runs in the bottom of the fifth frame.

Sheridan led off the inning with her fourth home run of the year and senior Colleen Baliga ended the rally with a pinch hit, walk-off double to score senior Bree Hiteshew.

Westenkirchner had five hits on the day, while Sheridan added four hits in the two games to lead the ONU offense.

The Polar Bears will return to action Tuesday with a double header at Wilmington.