Postseason Run and Season Concludes vs. Adrian
The Heidelberg University baseball team’s run through the Mideast Regional came to an end at the hands of Adrian College by a score of 3-1. Adrian was the host institution of the six-team double elimination regional. It was the second-straight appearance for the Berg in the NCAA postseason.
Despite concluding the year with a setback, Heidelberg had a stellar season. The year ended at 37-9, which ranks second for wins in a season. Within the OAC, Heidelberg swept the 2009 trophies for the second-consecutive season, as well as placed a league-best 11 players on the All-OAC list, including claiming the OAC Pitcher of the Year Andy Lowe (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Carroll) and coach of the year for 10th year head coach Matt Palm. All these accomplishments came for a program that ranked among the nation’s elite the entire year, standing a program-best third midway through the season by D3baseball.com.
The end of the season also concludes the careers of seven seniors: L.B. Emrhein (Seven Hills, Ohio / Padua Franciscan), David Paddock (Westerville, Ohio / North), Jeremy Wentworth (Johnstown, Ohio / St. Charles), Bryan Hartman (Circleville, Ohio / Logan Elm), Jack Bault (Atwater, Ohio / Waterloo), Matt Grassley (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North) and Biagio Boytim (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick). The class of 2009, all of which will receive their degrees this year, helped to guide the Berg to an overall record of 132-40, while winning the OAC Regular Season title in 2007, 2008 and 2009, along with two OAC Tournament Championships (2008 and 2009).
Both Heidelberg and Adrian found little opportunity at the plate early on as Heidelberg left-hand freshman Elvin Williams (Euclid, Ohio / Euclid) and Adrian’s Nick VanDike controlled the game.
Heidelberg looked to make a move in the third as Emrhein and Grassley drew walks. However, the Berg runners were left stranded.
The scoreless tie was broke by Adrian in the top of the fifth. RBI singles by Kris Powell and Todd Myers gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 advantage. Adrian increased its advantage to three courtesy of a three-base error on the Berg in the sixth. Alex Cowart started the inning reaching third and scored on a wild pitch.
Lowe took over on the mound in the seventh with two outs and two on. Lowe forced Myers to line into a double play at second base. Gar Keen (Sparta, Ohio / Highland) caught the line drive and connected with Boytim at first for Heidelberg’s third double play of the game.
In the bottom of the seventh, Heidelberg broke its streak of three-straight innings of going down in order. Boytim led the inning off being hit by a pitch and Steve Decker (Maumee, Ohio / Springfield) drew a walk with two outs. But the Berg could not capitalize and left its base runners stranded.
In the eighth, Adrian’s Steve Vanderheyden may have started the inning with a double, but Lowe hung up the Bulldogs next three batters to end any possible threat.
Heidelberg’s bats woke up in the bottom half of the eighth. Emrhein started things off with a single down the left field line and Wentworth followed with a double to right center. Grassley knocked in Emrhein with a ground out to the short stop to cut Heidelberg’s deficit to two, 3-1.
Lowe once again handled the Bulldogs hitters in the ninth, registering two ground outs and a strike out. In its final at bat, Heidelberg could not rally and suffered the setback.
Despite a valiant effort, Williams suffered the loss on the mound to finish the year at 5-1. Williams threw 6.1 innings and gave up just six hits, one earned run and had two strike outs. Lowe went the final 2.2 innings and faced eight batters, striking out four and allowed just one hit and no runs.
At the plate, Adrian held a 7-3 advantage in hits. Picking up a hit for the Berg was Wentworth, Grassley and Emrhein.