Heidelberg Tops Marietta in Championship Game

No. 1 seeded Heidelberg University topped no. 3 Marietta College 5-1 in the championship game of the 2009 Ohio Ahtletic Conference Baseball Tournament. It is the second-straight year that these two teams have met in the title game and the outcome has been the same each year. Heidelberg improves to 36-7, while the Pioneers fall to 29-15.
 
The championship game began as a pitcher’s dual between Heidelberg freshman left-hander Elvin 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. Jason Lash stole third and went home on the error. Steve 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  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, Willie Brechun and L.B. Emrhein.