Baseball Opens Season Victorious
The nationally ranked Heidelberg University baseball team, under the guidance of 10th-year head coach Matt Palm, opened the 2009 season in impressive fashion at the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Fla. The Berg topped John Jay College 22-0 to begin with a victory and its quest for another postseason stint.
Heidelberg, ranked eighth in the D3baseball.com preseason poll, scored nine unearned runs in the first inning off of six hits and two John Jay miscues to take control early. Highlighting the inning was a two-run home run by designated hitter Alex Monroe (Chargin Falls, Ohio / Kenston). Matt Grassley (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North) and Willie Brechun (Clinton, Ohio / Canton Central Catholic) picked up a double apiece in their first at bats to knock in a run each, while Jeremy Wentworth (Jamestown, Ohio / St. Charles) led things off for the day and reached on an error and returned for a second at bat in the opening inning and knocked a triple to score a run. A season ago, Wentworth set the single season record for triples with seven.
The Berg went on to tack on some more runs in every inning but two. Leading the way on the day was Grassley who went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBI. Grassley set the single season record holder for doubles in 2008 and started the 2009 campaign right where he left off. He connected with the bat for three doubles in his first three at bats. Steve Decker (Maumee, Ohio / Springfield) and Wentworth each picked up two hits and two RBI apiece. Wentworth crossed home plate twice. Gar Keen (Fredericktown, Ohio / Highland) also finished the game with multiple hits.
Earning the win on the mound was senior left hander David Paddock (Westerville, Ohio / North). Paddock threw 8.0 innings and struck out a career-high 11 batters, while giving up just nine hits. Throwing the final inning was freshman Eric Biggs (Dayton, Ohio / Dayton Christain). In his first collegiate appearance Biggs faced three batters, striking out two and forcing a third to hit into a ground out to the short stop.
Heidelberg and John Jay will square off again tomorrow beginning at 1:30 p.m. Fans can follow the action online at www.heidelberg.edu/statcrew/mbb/xlive.htm.