Port Charlotte, Fla. – March 12, 2011 – The Heidelberg University baseball team, under the guidance of 12th-year head coach Matt Palm, posted a hard fought 3-2 victory over Rhodes College this afternoon at the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Fla. The victory increased Heidelberg's overall record to 6-0, while the Lynx fall to 6-10.
Heidelberg entered the contest as the top-ranked team in the nation according to D3Baseball.com and the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
After three scoreless innings on both sides, Heidelberg found the scoreboard off a sacrifice fly to right field by Willie Brechun (Canton, Ohio / Canton Central Catholic). Brechun knocked in Ricardo Lizcano (Toledo, Ohio / Roy C. Start), who led the inning off with a single through the right side.
Heidelberg doubled up its lead in the seventh with another sacrifice fly. Derek Andrzejczak (Sylvania, Ohio / Sylvania Northview) sent one to left field and scored Jason Lash (Strongsville, Ohio / Strongsville), who was at second base with a leadoff double to left field.
Brechun knocked in the eventual game-winning run in the eighth inning. With the bases loaded Brechun had a ground out to second base to score pinch runner Andrew Zenczak (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick). Rhodes erased a shutout in the bottom half of the eighth with two runs. The Lynx had its first four batters reach base and scored a run before Heidelberg closer Andy Lowe (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Carroll) came in to close out the contest. After a ground out to second base to pull Rhodes within a run, Lowe forced a fly out and registered a strike out to end the inning.
Rhodes threatened in its final at bat. The Lynx had one on, with one out, but a double play from Gar Keen (Sparta, Ohio / Highland) to Lash and across to Andrzejczak at first ended the ballgame.
Sophomore right-hander Ethan Holt (Galion, Ohio / West Holmes) got the start and went 7.0 innings to improve to 2-0 on the year. He gave up just four hits, while striking out four. Lowe, the all-time saves leader at the Berg, picked up his second save of the year. In two innings of work he did not allow a hit, while striking out one.
At the plate Heidelberg recorded six hits. Finished with two apiece was Lizcano and Lash. Brechun had two RBI to lead the way.
Heidelberg returns to action tomorrow when it faces Montclair State University at 10:00 a.m. The Berg will also take on Utica College at 2:00 p.m.