Delaware, Ohio – March 17, 2010 – Junior short stop Jason Lash (Strongsville, Ohio / Strongsville) connected for a three-run home run in the ninth inning to rally the Heidelberg University baseball team to an 8-7 victory over Mideast Region foe and host Ohio Wesleyan University at Littick Field in Delaware, Ohio.
The ninth inning rally improved Heidelberg to 9-1 overall, while Ohio Wesleyan falls to 3-5. Heidelberg is ranked third in the nation according to D3baseball.com and is under the guidance of veteran head coach Matt Palm.
Heading into its final at bat the Berg trailed the Battling Bishops 7-4. With one out, Ricardo Lizcano (Toledo, Ohio / Roy C. Start) connected for his first home run on the year to pull the Berg within two, 7-5. Gar Keen (Sparta, Ohio / Highland) was hit by a pitch following Lizcano’s solo shot and Willie Brechun (Canton, Ohio / Canton Central Catholic) made it two on base for Lash with a single. Lash’s three-run home run was also his first of the year.
Closer Andy Lowe (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Carroll) threw the final two innings of action and held OWU scoreless. He gave up just two hits and struck out one to earn the win to stand at 1-0 on the year. Lowe’s victory comes one day after he helped to preserve another ’Berg victory, throwing two innings to earn a save against Bluffton University.
Ohio Wesleyan found the scoreboard first; plating three runs in the bottom half of the first inning. The Berg regrouped in the second and took a 4-3 lead. After two scoreless innings on both sides, OWU opened up for three more runs in the fifth and added another in the sixth to push its final score to seven.
Four ’Berg hitters recorded multiple hits in the win. Lash, Keen, Steve Decker (Maumee, Ohio / Springfield) and Alex Monroe (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston) each had two hits apiece. Lash and Lizcano had a home run, while Monroe and Keen recorded a double each.
Travis McClarney (Mt. Vernon, Ind. / Reitz) followed Lash’s three RBI performance with two, while Lizcano, Decker and Keen had one apiece.