Baseball Closes Snowbird Classic Victorious

Freshman Eric Biggs (Dayton, Ohio / Dayton Christian) pitched three innings in relief and helped lead the Heidelberg University baseball team to an 11-2 win over Benedictine University. The game was Heidelberg’s finale at the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Fla. The Berg closed its 10-game swing in Florida with an overall record of 8-2.
 
Heidelberg led 2-0 after four innings of action, but Benedictine battled back to knot the game in the top of the fifth.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, with two outs, and runners on first and third, Steve Decker (Maumee, Ohio / Springfield) had a base hit to score Travis McClarney (Mt. Vernon, Ohio / Reitz) for the eventual game-winning run. Heidelberg tacked on two more runs in the sixth and went on to plate six runs in the seventh to help seal the win.
 
Biggs was called upon in the sixth and took control of the game through the eighth. He did not give up a hit or an earned run, while striking out three to earn his first collegiate victory. Sophomore Jake Gossman (Westerville, Ohio / South) threw the first five innings, while freshman Sylvester Nino (Willard, Ohio / Willard) was called on to close out the game.
 
At the plate, Matt Grassley (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / North), Gar Keen (Sparta, Ohio / Highland), McClarney and Jason Lash (Strongsville, Ohio / Strongsville) each finished with two hits. Lash led the way with two runs knocked in, while scoring three of his own.
 
Heidelberg, ranked fifth in the latest D3baseball.com national poll, travels to Demorest, Ga. to face Piedmont College in a two-game series on Thursday and Friday.