Seniors Rally 'Berg to Play Another Day

Same team, but a new look is what fans experienced when the Heidelberg University baseball team took the field in its second game of the NCAA Division III Baseball Championships Mideast Regional. Heidelberg’s senior class banded the team together with mohawks or “rally hawks” to help spur a competitive edge. The end result was a 14-2 win over Concordia University Chicago in an elimination game.
 
After an opening game loss on Thursday, nationally ranked Heidelberg rallied together to improve its overall record to 37-8 and kept its season alive. Heidelberg returns to the field tomorrow, May 16, at 7:00 p.m. against Adrian. The setback concludes the Cougars season at 33-15. Concordia was making its first appearance in the NCAA regionals.
 
Heidelberg’s offense wasted little time adjusting to Cougars’ starter Joe Leyhane. Jeremy Wentworth (Johnstown, Ohio / St. Charles) worked the count for a leadoff walk and was followed with a triple by Matt Grassley (Grosse Point Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North) to give the Berg an early 1-0 lead. Grassley scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Gar Keen (Sparta, Ohio / Highland) to make it 2-0 after half an inning of play.
 
Concordia threatened to plate some runs in the its first at bat, but Heidelberg right-handed starter Brian Koehl (Sylvania, Ohio / Sylvania Northview) pitched out of a jam. With two outs, and bases loaded, Koehl hung up designated hitter Phil Seris to end the inning with no damage.
 
Quality at bats continued in the second for the Berg. Steve Decker (Maumee, Ohio / Springfield) and Ricky Lizcano (Toledo, Ohio / Roy C. Start) started the inning with singles. L.B. Emrhein (Seven Hills, Ohio / Padua Franciscan) followed suit with a hit of his own to score Decker. Lizcano also crossed home plate courtesy of an error by Concordia’s left fielder during Emrhein’s at bat. Two batters later, Grassley connected for a two-run shot to left field to extend Heidelberg’s lead to six.
 
Heidelberg was held scoreless in the third, while the Cougars continued to succumb to a tough ’Berg defense. Koehl got the leadoff batter to ground out to Lizcano at third, but missed the plate to put two runners on base. Concordia’s Brandon Issac flew out to Emrhein in right and Emrhein connected with Biagio Boytim (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick) at first for the double play to end the inning.
 
Phil Seris finally got the Cougars on the scoreboard in the fourth inning with a solo home run to left field. The home run cut Heidelberg’s lead to five at 6-1.
 
After plating no runs for two innings, Keen took initiative in the fifth. He started with a leadoff double to left center and followed with smart base running. Keen took third and home on back-to-back wild pitches to give Heidelberg a 7-1 advantage. In the bottom half of the inning, Koehl’s experience on the mound continued to be on display. With two outs, and runners on the corners, Koehl got Isaac to ground out to Jason Lash (Strongsville, Ohio / Strongsville) at short stop to end the inning.
 
The sixth proved to be another big inning as Heidelberg scored four runs off of three hit. Its defense, along with Koehl, had three-straight ground outs to give the Berg an 11-1 lead. Grassley had a ground rule double to score Emrhein, who reached the bases after being hit by a pitch. Wentworth had a bunt single to get on base and eventually scored on a passed ball, while Keen knocked in Grassley. Lash rounded out the scoring in the inning with Heidelberg’s second home run of the day.
 
Heidelberg’s pinch hitters took advantage of their opportunities in the final two innings to bring the final score to 14-2. Taking advantage of their plate appearances in the eighth was Andrew Buelow (Marysville, Mich. / Marysville) and Derek Andrzejczak (Sylvania, Ohio / Sylvania Northview). Buelow singled and later scored Heidelberg’s first run of the inning, while Andrzejczak knocked in a second ’Berg run on a ground out. In the ninth, Alex Monroe (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston) had a home run to left center field to give Heidelberg 14 runs on the day.
 
Concordia closed out its scoring on the day in the ninth. Zach Bickel drew a bases loaded walk off of Heidelberg closer Andy Lowe (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Carroll).
 
Koehl went 8.0 innings and got the win to improve to 7-2 on the year. He gave up six hits, three walks and an earned run, while striking out two. Lowe threw the final inning and did not allow a hit and gave up one earned run and three walks. He struck out two batters.
 
At the plate, Heidelberg held a 15-6 advantage in hits. Grassley just missed hitting for the cycle. He finished 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and a home run. Grassley knocked in four runs and scored three of his own. Emrhein also was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Keen hit 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored.