PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla.—Junior righthander Tyler Fruhwirth (Beavercreek) throw his first career complete game as the Heidelberg University baseball team defeated Bluffton University, 5-4, today at the Snowbird Baseball Classic in Port Charlotte, Fla. Despite allowing 14 hits—a season-high for a Heidelberg opponent—Fruthwirth stranded 11 runners on base and stuck out seven batters, while issuing just one walk.
Freshman second baseman Steve Kisan (Lakewood/St. Edward) manufactured a run all on his own in the seventh inning to break a 4-4 tie, leading off the inning with a single before stealing second base. He then advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored what would prove to be the game-winning run on an error by Bluffton catcher Greg Franks. The Student Princes stranded two runners in scoring position, but Fruhwirth would not need any insurance runs, allowing just two hits over the final three frames.
Heidelberg (3-2) wasted little time in taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Senior center fielder Elvin Williams (Euclid) and sophomore left fielder Arneal Squibb (Mishawaka, Ind./Mishawaka) led the game off with back-to-back walks and freshman designated hitter Dylan Cooper (Macomb, Mich./Stevenson) lofted a sacrifice fly to right field to score Williams from third base. Kisan and freshman first baseman Eric Monroe (Chagrin Falls/Kenston) loaded the bases for senior right fielder Ross Pruitt (Elletsville, Ind./Edgewood), who drove Squibb and Kisan with a run batted-in single.
Fruhwirth surrendered a trifecta of triples and issued two walks in the Bluffton second, leading to a two-run inning for the Beavers.
A bases loaded single by Williams in the third inning scored Pruitt to put the Berg ahead, 4-2, before Bluffton tied the game with single tallies in each of the fifth and sixth innings.
Williams and Pruitt led the attack, each going 2-for-4 and scoring two runs while combining for three RBI.
Heidelberg will enjoy a day off before a rematch with Moravian (Pa.) College on Friday, March 9 at 10 a.m. Moravian beat the Berg, 5-2, in the season opener.