Fall World Series Ends in Dramatic Pitching Duel

Two freshman pitchers, Tyler Young (Hilliard, Ohio / Hilliard Davidson) and Nathan James (Rockport, Ind. / South Spencer), faced off for five innings until the Orange team finally pulled off a 1-0 victory. Young, pitcher for the Orange team, threw a five-inning, one-hit shutout, while James was quite comparable. He allowed only three hits and one earned run in his five innings on the mound for the Black team. Senior Steve Calevro (Perrysburg, Ohio / Perrysburg) picked up the save for the Orange team, working two innings of hitless, scoreless relief. The win for the Orange team clinched them the Fall World Series Championship at three games to two.

The Fall World Series is an annual event for the Heidelberg College baseball team. It caps off the team's fall-ball season and is the precursor to the program's yearly awards banquet.

Head coach Matt Palm emceed the banquet, where a variety of awards were handed out to players.

Recognized for his stint as OAC Hitter of the Week for the week of April 30, 2007 was Alex Rutter (Bowling Green, Ohio / Bowling Green), who graduated from the Berg in May. Receiving First-Team All-OAC honors were Rutter, David Paddock (Westerville, Ohio / North), and Jeremy Wentworth (Johnstown, Ohio / St. Charles), while Matt Decker (Maumee, Ohio / Springfield), Andrew McFarland (Mansfield, Ohio / Madison), and graduated senior Tyler Tocco (Dublin, Ohio / Coffman) were recipients of Second Team All-OAC honors. Jack Bault (Randolph, Ohio / Waterloo), Calevro, and Tony Pawlowicz (Montpelier, Ohio / Montpelier) also made the All-OAC team, receiving honorable mention nods.

Decker and Rutter  were also singled out by the conference for their prowess in the classroom, as well as on the field, and received Academic All-OAC awards. The Clyde Lamb Scholar-Athlete Award from the OAC, which is awarded to one male and one female from each conference institution annually, was also presented to Rutter.

The team also had a few members earn spots on the All-region team in 2007, they included Rutter, Paddock, and Wentworth.

The banquet is also when the team awards for the previous season are handed out. Best Offensive Player of 2007 went to Wentworth, with Decker receiving the counterpart defensive award. McFarland walked away with the Best Pitcher honor, and the Team Award went to Tocco. Rutter was named Most Valuable Player for his accomplishments in 2007, while fellow graduate Dan Machovina (Elyria, Ohio / Midview) was recognized with the Coaches' Award.

The final award on the night was awarded to Sammy Palm, who was honored with the first Heidelberg Bat Boy Award.

For pictures from the games and banquet follow the link