PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla.—Junior catcher Jordan Martin (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) and sophomore left fielder Ben Blystone (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) each had sacrifices to spark a seventh inning rally as the Heidelberg University baseball team defeated Medaille (N.Y.) College, 5-4, in come-from-behind fashion today at the Snowbird Baseball Classic in Port Charlotte, Fla.
Trailing 4-3 going into the bottom of the seventh, freshman centerfielder Jordan Rhinehart (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central) led the inning off with a double. Martin's sacrifice bunt moved Rhinehart to third base before Blystone lofted a fly ball to right field, scoring Rhinehart, who was tagging up from third to tie the game, bringing the go-ahead run—sophomore second baseman Joe Staab (Bellville/Clearfork)—to the plate.
Staab drew a walk, then stole second base. Senior shortstop Ricardo Lizcano (Toledo/Start) hit a ground ball to shortstop, but an error proved costly, as Staab scored on the play for what would be the game-winning run.
Heidelberg took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when a Staab single and walks by Lizcano and freshman first basemen Steve Morse (Scotsdale, Ariz./St. Mary's) loaded the bases. Sophomore right fielder Arneal Squibb (Mishawaka, Ind./Mishawaka) drove in Staab with a fielder's choice and allowed Lizcano to score when he stole second base.
Three consecutive hits sparked a three-run fourth inning for Medaille, chasing senior starting pitcher Elvin Williams (Euclid) from the game.
The Student Princes tied the game at 3-3 in the sixth as the Berg again loaded the bases to start the inning. Despite grounding into a double play, freshman designated hitter Alex Grove (Canal Fulton/Canton Central Catholic) drove in Lizcano, who finished the game going 1-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and a run batted-in.
Medaille tacked on another run in the seventh to take a 4-3 lead, setting up Martin's and Blystone's seventh inning heroics.
Williams started the game and worked the first 3.2 innings, giving up five hits and three runs (two earned), while striking out five batters. Junior right hander Teddy Lowe (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) relieved Williams in the fourth and senior southpaw Ross Pruitt (Elletsville, Ind./ Edgewood) recorded an out in the seventh. Senior righty closer Daniel Brannum (Jamestown/Greenview) threw the last 2.1 innings and fanned five batters to earn his first win of the season.
The Berg resumes action tomorrow when it faces Widener (Pa.) College and Wheaton (Ill.) College in a doubleheader at the Gene Cusic Classic in Ft. Myers, Fla. at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.