Heidelberg Tops Otterbein, Headed to Third OAC Title Game

It was another late inning nail biter for no. 9 Heidelberg College baseball fans, as the Student Princes pulled off a 9-4 victory over Otterbein College in game five of the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament. Seven of the Berg’s nine runs came in the last two innings of play, bringing Heidelberg’s record up to 35-8 on the year. Otterbein falls to 26-15 and was eliminated from the double-elimination event.

This weekend marks Heidelberg’s ninth trip to the OAC Tournament, eighth overall and sixth-straight under head coach Matt Palm. Heidelberg will now face off against Marietta College in the finals set for Saturday, May 10, in Tiffin, Ohio at noon. It is the third time Heidelberg will be making an appearance in the championship game, previously the team placed second in 2003 and won it all in 2004. In 2004, Heidelberg emerged from the losing bracket to defeat Marietta and take the title.

Against Otterbein, Heidelberg jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Gar Keen (Fredericktown, Ohio / Highland) singled to center and advanced to second on the throw, allowing Jeremy Wentworth (Johnstown, Ohio / St. Charles Prep) to score from second. Otterbein responded with a three-run inning in the third to take the lead, which they would not relinquish until the top of the eighth.

The Cardinals scored one more in the bottom of the sixth and Heidelberg plated a run in the seventh. The Berg finally found its groove in the top of the eighth. Alex Monroe (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston) came into to pinch hit for Steve Decker (Maumee, Ohio / Springfield) with bases loaded and no outs. Monroe smashed a two RBI double and advanced to third on the play. Biagio Boytim (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick) got caught in a rundown between third and home on the play and was tagged out by Otterbein third baseman John Sansbury. After a pitching change by the Cardinals and a strike out by the Berg, Wentworth stepped to the plate with two outs and a runner on third. He reached first thanks to an error by Cardinal shortstop Ben Titus which also allowed Monroe to score the go-ahead run. Andrew Buelow (Marysville, Ohio / Marysville) grounded out to end the top of the inning and Heidelberg reliever Andy Lowe (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Carroll) shut out Otterbein in the bottom half.

In the ninth, Heidelberg scored one earned run and three unearned to help ensure the win, while Otterbein was once again thwarted by Lowe who did not let a single run cross the plate in his 2.1 innings.

Offensively for Heidelberg, Willie Brechun (Clinton, Ohio / Canton Central Catholic) led the way going 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs and one run. Keen and Boytim also contributed three hits, along with one run and one RBI apiece. For Otterbein, Chris Kovanda recorded three hits of his own with one run, while Aaron Hutchinson added two hits and a run to the mix.

On the field for Heidelberg, Boytim posted a team-high 11 putouts and Cody James (Belle Center, Ohio / Benjamin Logan) and Jason Lash (Strongsville, Ohio / Strongsville) dished out four assists each. Brian Hiscox led the Cardinals with 12 putouts and Titus racked up five assists.

For the second time in two straight appearances on the mound Lowe has earned the win, bringing his record to 5-0 for the year. J.J. Mathews notched another loss for Otterbein, falling to 1-5 for the season.