Lash Hits for the Cycle to Sweep Capital

Sophomore Jason Lash (Strongsville, Ohio / Strongsville) hit for the cycle in game two of a doubleheader to help seal a sweep for the Heidelberg University baseball team over visiting Capital University today in an Ohio Athletic Conference contest. Heidelberg won game one 12-2 and returned in game two for an 8-3 victory.
 
Aside from Lash’s feat, the Berg, who sits 11th in the nation according to D3baseball.com, eclipsed the 20-win plateau for the 10th-straight season, all of which have come under the guidance of head coach Matt Palm. Following the sweep the Berg has also won 10-games in a row and sits at 21-5 overall and 6-2 in the OAC, while the Crusaders are 9-16 and 1-7. Within the OAC, the Berg is the first team to reach 20 wins on the year.
 
In the first inning of game two, Lash registered a double to right center. He went on to knock in a run in the second off a single to left center field before connecting for a two-run home run to left field in the fourth. And to complete the cycle, Lash went back to where he began, hitting a triple to right center in the sixth inning.
 
In game one, Heidelberg erased a 0-0 tie with two runs in the second inning with sacrifice flies by Matt Grassley (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North) and Willie Brechun (Canton, Ohio / Canton Central Catholic).
 
Both teams were blanked in the third inning and the Berg went on to outscore the visitors 10-2 over the final five innings. Capital scored its two runs, all which were unearned, in its final at bat.
 
Earning the start and throwing 6.0 innings was sophomore Brian Koehl (Sylvania, Ohio / Sylvania Northview). He gave up just four hits, while striking out six.
 
Heidelberg registered 16 hits led by a 4-for-4 outing by designated hitter Ricky Lizcano (Toledo, Ohio / Roy C. Start). Lizcano knocked in two runs, while scoring three times. Biagio Boytim (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick) was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI, while L.B. Emrhein (Seven Hills, Ohio / Padua Franciscan) went 2-for-2 with a run scored and Gar Keen (Sparta, Ohio / Highland) finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
 
In the night cap, Capital belted a home run in the first inning to hold a 1-0 advantage after one. The Berg responded with four runs in the second to take control of the game. Heidelberg scored three of its four runs off of back-to-back-to-back RBI doubles from Steve Decker (Maumee, Ohio / Springfield), Brechun and Emrhein. Lash knocked in the fourth with his single.
 
Heidelberg and Capital played even over the next three innings, exchanging two runs apiece in the fourth. Heidelberg added two more insurance runs in the sixth to help secure the win, 8-3.
 
Throwing 4.0 innings of relief and earning the win was sophomore Branden Stucky (Medina, Ohio / Medina). It was Stucky’s first win of the year. He allowed just one hit and struck out three.
 
Lash finished game two 4-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Keen and Decker each had two hits.
 
Heidelberg continues its OAC slate at Mount Union College on Saturday, April 11. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. Mount Union will be providing live statistics for Saturday’s doubleheader at http://livestats.prestosports.com/mountunion/bsb/baseball.html