Baseball earns share of OAC title
The nationally ranked Heidelberg University baseball team swept host Wilmington College Saturday, April 25, in an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader. Heidelberg won 11-2 in game one and returned for an 11-3 victory in game two. Heidelberg improves to 29-7 overall and sits atop the OAC with a 13-3 record, while Wilmington falls to 8-20 and 4-12.
The sweep also guarantees the Berg at least a share of the 2009 Ohio Athletic Conference Regular Season trophy. There are two games remaining on the OAC regular season slate. In game one, the Berg scored first and never looked back en route to an 11-2 victory. Heidelberg plated runs in five of the seven innings, highlighted by three runs in the second and four in the sixth.
David Paddock (Westerville, Ohio / North) threw 5 innings, giving up four hits and just one earned run to earn the win. He struck out four in the process.
At the plate, Matt Grassley (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / Grosse Point North) went 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and a run scored to lead the Berg. Jeremy Wentworth (Johnstown, Ohio / St. Charles), Jason Lash (Strongsville, Ohio / Strongsville) and Willie Brechun (Canton, Ohio / Canton Central Catholic) each had two hits. Wentworth finished with two RBI, while Brechun had one.
In the nightcap, Grassley hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning to put the Berg on top and propel them to the eventual victory. Grassley’s home run added to Heidelberg’s lone run at the time and was part of a four-run fifth. The Berg added six more runs in the seventh. Ricky Lizcano (Toledo, Ohio / Roy C. Start) belted a three-run home run in the seventh to help extend Heidelberg’s cushion.
Wentworth and Brechun each registered three hits to lead the Berg. Brechun had three RBI, as did Lizcano, courtesy of his home run. Grassley and Biagio Boytim (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick) each added two hits apiece.