'Berg Set to Host OAC Tournament
Heidelberg University will be the host institution for the 2009 Ohio Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament. It is the third-straight year, and fourth time overall, that the tournament has run through Tiffin, Ohio. The Student Princes claimed its fourth regular season title to earn the right to host the event at Peaceful Valley May 7-9.
Heidelberg will be the no. 1 seed and will be joined by no. 2 Otterbein College, no. 3 Marietta College and no. 4 John Carroll University. The top three seeds are repeat entries from a season ago, while the Blue Streaks are making their first trip to the postseason since 2004.
Over the course of the next three days Peaceful Valley will be overtook by some of the top hitters and pitchers in the conference. Action begins with a 1:00 p.m. contest between Heidelberg and John Carroll on Thursday, May 7, followed a 4:00 p.m. game with Marietta and Otterbein. For the latest information on the tournament, as well a schedule, live statistics and results visit the tournament website.
Heidelberg enters the tournament with an overall record of 33-7 and is ranked fifth in the nation according to D3baseball.com. In 2009, Heidelberg eclipsed the 30-win plateau for the second-consecutive year and fifth time in the history of the program. Its 33 wins currently stands second for wins in a single season. The Berg closed out the year atop the league standings at 15-3 and is making its 10th appearance in the OAC Tournament, including its seventh-straight. Heidelberg won the title in 2004 and 2008.
At the plate, the trio of Jeremy Wentworth, Gar Keen and Biagio Boytim lead the Berg in hits, while also holding down three of the top-five spots in the OAC. Wentworth has a conference-leading 69 hits and is fifth in batting average at .411. Boytim is first for the Berg and third in the OAC at the plate, hitting .420. Keen has 61 hits on the year and is batting .365, while leading the team with 52 runs batted in. His 52 RBI ranks second in the OAC. On the mound, Andy Lowe leads all conference schools with a 0.79 earned run average and nine saves. Ace David Paddock has an OAC-leading eight wins, while leading the Berg, and is third in the OAC, with 66 strike outs.
The Cardinals of Otterbein return to the conference tournament for the 19th time and have come away with five titles and six runner-up finishes. Otterbein has played in the last nine-consecutive tournaments and will look to win its fifth title in the last seven years. Overall, Otterbein boasts a record of 22-15 and was 12-6 in the regular season standings.
Brian Hiscox leads the Cardinals with a .380 batting average and 45 runs batted in, and is third with 52 hits. In the OAC, Hiscox leads the way with 16 home runs and is fourth in RBI. Brandon Gessner has a team-best 57 hits. Alex Hayes leads the pitching staff with a 2.55 ERA and 59 strike outs, while posting a 4-2 record. He ranks among the conference leaders in ERA, opponents batting average and strike outs. Securing five wins apiece to lead the staff is Jeremy Willaims and Zach McGrain.
The Pioneers will look to return to Marietta with its 28th tournament trophy in 2009, but its first since 2002. Marietta won 13-straight tournaments from 1990-2002, but Otterbein and Heidelberg have combined to win the last six. Overall, Marietta will be making its 37th appearance in the tournament, which leads all OAC schools. Aside from its 27 titles, the Pioneers have finished runner-up seven times, including a season ago. Marietta brings an overall record of 27-13 and closed out its league schedule at 12-6.
Cameron Cimino sits atop the Pioneers statistically in batting average (.425), hits (62) and runs (45), while ranking second with 40 RBI. In the OAC, Cimino is second in batting average and slugging percentage (.810). Knocking in a team-leading 44 runs is Chris Beatty. On the mound, Brain Gasser leads the way with five wins, a 4.15 earned run average and 48 strike outs. Marietta’s closers, Justin Merryman and Chris Stewart have combined for nine saves and both rank in the top-five in the OAC.
Rounding out the four-team field is John Carroll. The Blue Streaks are 24-10 overall and finished at 11-7 versus league foes. A tournament championship has eluded the Blue Streaks in six trips to the postseason. JCU has made just one appearance in the championship (1998).
A mainstay at the plate for the Blue Streaks in 2009 has been Tom Hickey. Hickey leads JCU and the OAC with a .447 batting average. Hickey also sits atop the team with 63 hits and 46 runs batted in; both are ranked in the top-five in the league. Leading the pitching staff is Paul O’Donnell with an overall record of 6-2 and a 3.50 earned run average. His six wins stands second in the OAC. In the strike out category, Tom Schaberl has a team-leading 48 followed by O’Donnell’s 38.