Paddock and McFarland Combine for Two Shutouts

Behind the arms of junior left-hander David Paddock (Westerville, Ohio / North) and senior right-hander Andrew McFarland (Mansfield, Ohio / Madison) the Heidelberg College baseball team closed out the month of March with a doubleheader sweep of Muskingum College at Peaceful Valley. The Berg won game one 4-0 and returned to post a 4-0 game two victory. The sweep improves Heidelberg to 13-4 overall and evens its Ohio Athletic Conference mark at 2-2, while the Muskies fall to 10-7 and 1-3.

In game one, Paddock gave up just three hits and did not walk a batter, while striking out five in a complete 7.0 inning contest. The victory evened Paddock’s record to 2-2 on the year.

Paddock’s pitching was backed by seven ’Berg hits in the game one victory. Following three scoreless innings, Heidelberg reached the scoreboard in the fourth on a solo home run from Matt Grassley (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North). Grassley’s shot to left field marked his first career home run at the Berg.

In the fifth, Heidelberg added two more runs on a Jeremy Wentworth (Johnstown, Ohio / St. Charles) RBI double, scoring Steve Decker (Maumee, Ohio / Springfield), who reached the base paths courtesy of a Muskie error. Grassley made it to the dish yet again and knocked in Wentworth on a sacrifice fly to right field.

Heidelberg scored its final run of the game on a Jason Lash (Strongsville, Ohio / Strongsville) double in the sixth inning.

For the game, Heidelberg finished with seven hits. Leading the way was Lash with a 2-for-2 day at the plate. Grassley finished with two RBIs and one hit.

McFarland followed Paddock’s lead in game two, throwing a complete 9.0 inning game and scattered three hits. He struck out eight batters and gave up just one base on balls.

Heidelberg returned to work early in game two, scoring three runs in its first at bat. Doubles from Matt Hille (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Homestead) and Biagio Boytim (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick) sent two runs across home plate, while Gar Keen (Fredericktown, Ohio / Highland) knocked in a third. The Berg pushed its lead to four following a Muskingum miscue in the fifth that scored Decker.

In game two, Heidelberg tallied nine hits, as Hille and Lash each picked up two apiece.

Heidelberg will take a three-game hiatus from league action over the next week beginning with Ohio Wesleyan University on Tuesday, April 1. Fans are reminded that Heidelberg’s game with OWU on Tuesday will be played at Heidelberg, despite originally being scheduled to be a road contest. First pitch at Peaceful Valley is set for 3:00 p.m.