'Berg Sweeps OAC Titles in 2009

The nationally ranked Heidelberg University baseball team claimed both the Ohio Athletic Conference Regular Season and Tournament trophies following a 5-1 victory over Marietta College today, May 10. It is the second-consecutive year that Heidelberg has held a firm grip on both titles. Overall Heidelberg has won three OAC Tournament championships (2004, 2008, 2009) and four regular season titles (2003, 2007, 2008, 2009), all of which have came under the guidance of 10th-year head coach Matt Palm. (Audio)
 
Palm attributes the success of the Heidelberg baseball program to the players and his coaching staff. “Success cannot be determined by just one person, it is a combination of the hard work and dedication that every player and coach has given to the program over the course of the last few years. We hope to continue the solid tradition that has become a part of this university.”
 
The tournament championship gave Heidelberg the Ohio Athletic Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Baseball Championships. Regional action begins May 13. The Berg will be making its second-straight, third-overall, trip to the NCAA Regionals.
 
Heidelberg improved to 36-7 with the win and placed seven players on the all-tournament team led by Most Valuable Player second baseman Gar Keen (Sparta, Ohio / Highland). Joining Keen from the infield was short stop Jason Lash (Strongsville, Ohio / Strongsville) and catcher Steve Decker (Maumee, Ohio / Springfield). Earning a spot from the outfield was left fielder Matt Grassley (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Point North) and center fielder Jeremy Wentworth (Johnstown, Ohio / St. Charles). Rounding out the Berg honorees was pitchers David Paddock (Westerville, Ohio / North) and Elvin Williams (Euclid, Ohio / Euclid).
 
In the OAC Tournament, Heidelberg found itself in the championship game through the winner’s bracket. Action at the tournament began for the Berg with a 13-3 three win over John Carroll University on Thursday. A spot in the title game was awarded to Heidelberg with a 13-12 win over Otterbein College on Friday.
 
Heidelberg was the no. 1 seed in the four-team double elimination tournament, while the Pioneers were seeded third. Otterbein and John Carroll were seeded second and fourth, respectively. The Berg hosted the event at Peaceful Valley. It was the third-straight year that the conference tournament was held in Tiffin, Ohio.
 
The championship game began as a pitcher’s dual between Heidelberg freshman left-hander Williams and Marietta right hander Jason Baumler. Both sides had a no-hitter through five innings of action and the game was tied at 1-1. In the third, Marietta’s Chris Beatty drew a bases loaded walk to break the scoreless tie. Heidelberg answered with a run of its own in the top of the fourth courtesy of a errant throw to second by Marietta’s catcher in an attempt to catch the Berg stealing. Lash stole third and went home on the error. Decker was safe at second.
 
The no-hitter was broke up in the sixth inning, as Heidelberg had two hits in the top half and Marietta picked up one in the bottom, but the seventh was the deciding inning for the eventual ’Berg victory. Heidelberg batted around in the inning and had six hits. Four runs were plated in the inning to bring the final margin of victory for Heidelberg to four at 5-1. Knocking in the eventual game-winning run was Keen.
 
Williams went 7.0 innings to improve to 5-0 on the year. He gave up just one hit and struck out three. Andy Lowe (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Carroll) threw the final two innings and gave up just two hits and did not allow a run. He also struck out three, including two of the final three outs of the ballgame.
 
At the plate, Heidelberg finished with nine hits compared to three by Marietta. Decker and Grassley each finished 2-for-4, with a double apiece. Also picking up a hit was Wentworth, Keen, Biagio Boytim (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick), Willie Brechun (Canton, Ohio / Canton Central Catholic) and L.B. Emrhein (Seven Hills, Ohio / Padua Franciscan).