Championship Appearance Falls Short In Extra Innings

Heading into day two of action at the 2007 Ohio Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament Heidelberg College knew that its journey to the championship game would have to involve two victories. Heidelberg overcame its first hurdle with a 4-1 win over Marietta College, but fell short in the win column in a 12-11 setback to Otterbein College in 10 innings.

The setback to Otterbein eliminated Heidelberg from the four team tournament with a record of 1-2. Overall Heidelberg boasts a record of 28-15.

Heidelberg’s defense and junior right hander Andrew McFarland (Mansfield, Ohio / Madison) opened the day up knocking Marietta out of the tournament. Heidelberg’s victory over the Pioneers marked the first team ever that Marietta has went 0-2 in the OAC Tournament since it began a four-team format in 1985.

Against Marietta, Heidelberg began its scoring with a Tony Pawlowicz (Montpelier, Ohio / Montpelier) solo home run in the second inning and never looked back. Heidelberg added two runs in the fifth on an RBI single from Matt Decker (Maumee, Ohio / Springfield) and an Otterbein error and plated its final run in the ninth on a Tyler Tocco (Dublin, Ohio / Coffman) RBI single to right center field.

Marietta scored its lone run in the fifth inning courtesy of a ’Berg error. The Pioneers had two runners on and no outs in both the sixth and seventh innings, but the Berg and McFarland were able to get out of the jams on both occasions.

McFarland pitched a complete game, giving up eight hits, no earned runs, while striking out five to improve to 7-1 on the year.

Leading Heidelberg’s offense was Tocco with a 3-for-3 outing and an RBI. Pawlowicz also recorded multiple hits with two.       

Following its win over Marietta, Heidelberg met Otterbein with a right to take on Capital University in the championship game on the line. Capital topped Otterbein 3-1 to start the action on the day, earning a spot in the championship.

Heidelberg held a 10-6 advantage following its last at bat, but gave up four runs to Otterbein, who was the home team in the contest, in the bottom of the ninth inning to force extra innings.

Tocco recorded on an infield single in the top of the 10th inning that scored Jack Bault (Randolph, Ohio / Waterloo), who reached on a single, to put Heidelberg back on top 11-10.

In the bottom half of the inning Heidelberg pitcher Dan Machovina (Elyria, Ohio / Midview) hit the first two batters and the third Cardinal at the plate singled to load the bases. Everett Thomas (Evansville, Ind. / Harrison) came in to relieve Machovina, but unfortunately gave up the game tying run on a wild pitch and Pat Connor hit into a fielder’s choice back to first base, but Alex Rutter’s (Bowling Green, Ohio / Bowling Green) throw to home plate was not in time, as the game-winning run crossed the dish.

Tocco once again led the Heidelberg offense with four hits, to go along with three RBI and a run scored. Pawlowicz finished with two hits, including a home run. Also finishing with two hits was Jeremy Wentworth (Johnstown, Ohio / St. Charles) and Cody James (Belle Center, Ohio / Benjamin Logan).