Baseball Sweeps Yellow Jackets; Regain OAC Top Spot

The Heidelberg College baseball team closed out the week with an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader sweep of host Baldwin-Wallace College today at Heritage Field in Berea, Ohio. The Berg won 18-3 in game one and returned to claim a 10-6 victory in the nightcap. The sweep improves Heidelberg to 25-7 overall and 11-3 in the OAC, while Baldwin-Wallace falls to 15-14 overall and 7-7 in league action.

Heidelberg’s sweep of the Yellow Jackets coupled with Marietta College’s two setbacks to Otterbein College today gave Heidelberg sole possession of first place in the league standings by a game.

In game one, Heidelberg trailed 2-1 heading into the sixth inning, but plated 11 runs off of eight hits and two Baldwin-Wallace miscues to take control of the ballgame. Heidelberg initially took the lead off of a Jason Lash (Strongsville, Ohio / Strongsville) two RBI single. With a 4-2 lead, and two outs, the Berg went on to score the final nine runs of the 11-run inning. During the scoring spurt freshmen Willie Brechun (Clinton, Ohio / Canton Central Catholic) and Andrew Buelow (Marysville, Mich. / Marysville) each connected for RBI doubles.

Earning the win on the mound was David Paddock (Westerville, Ohio / North). Paddock threw 5.2 innings and gave up eight hits, while striking out four. The win improves him to 4-2 on the year.

At the plate, Heidelberg closed the game with 16 hits compared to nine by Baldwin-Wallace. Picking up a team-leading three hits was Lash, while Jeremy Wentworth (Johnstown, Ohio / St. Charles), Cody James (Belle Center, Ohio / Logan Elm), Biagio Boytim (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick) and Brechun each had two hits apiece. Lash also knocked in four runs followed by Steve Decker (Maumee, Ohio / Springfield) with three RBI.

In the nightcap, Heidelberg once again faced an early deficit, but its bats awoke finally in the fifth inning.  Down 5-1 after four innings, Heidelberg scored four runs in the top half of the fifth to overtake the scoreboard. Knocking in two of the four runs was Lash. The Berg went on to limit the Yellow Jackets to just one run over the final four innings for the win.

Coming in to pitch 4.0 innings of relief and earn the win was Jake Gossman (Westerville, Ohio / South). Gossman allowed just two hits and no runs, while striking out four. The win improves Gossman to 4-2 on the year.

Finishing 3-for-4 in game two was Wentworth and Brechun, while Lash, Matt Grassley (Grosse Point Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North) and Decker each picked up two hits apiece. Lash and Grassley knocked in two runs each

Heidelberg returns to action against Denison University Tuesday, April 22. First pitch is slated for 4:00 p.m. at Peaceful Valley.