ALLIANCE, Ohio—Freshman third baseman Trevor Oldham (Akron/Archbishop Hoban) hit what would prove to be the game-winning run batted-in single in the top of the 10th inning to give the Heidelberg University baseball team a split in an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader against the University of Mount Union today at 23rd Street Field in Alliance, Ohio. The game-two win was the 399th career win for 13th-year head coach Matt Palm.
Freshman first baseman Eric Monroe (Chagrin Falls/Kenston) singled in a run in the top of the first inning to give Heidelberg (18-15, 7-7 OAC) an early lead, but Mount Union (24-10, 10-4 OAC) strung four singles together in the second and took a 3-1 lead.
The Purple Raiders rallied for four more runs in the fourth to jump out to a 7-1 lead.
Undaunted, the Berg scored single runs in the fifth and sixth on run batted-in singles by freshman designated hitter Alex Grove (Canal Fulton/Canton Central Catholic) and senior left fielder Ross Pruitt (Elletsville, Ind./Edgewood) before rallying for three more in the seventh, keyed by a two-run double by Pruitt, but could not overcome the Purple Raider lead.
Mount Union added an insurance run in the sixth.
Pruitt finished the first game 2-for-4 at the plate and scored a run. Monroe was 2-for-3 with a double and a run and sophomore right fielder Ben Blystone (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) was 2-for-3 with a double and a run.
Minteer allowed three runs on four hits while striking out two and walking a pair over 3.0 innings, but suffered the loss to fall to 2-2. Freshman righty Travis Gray (Markle, Ind./Norwell) allowed four runs in one-third of an inning and junior righty Teddy Lowe (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) allowed one run on four hits in 2.2 innings of relief.
Jimmy Dobran led Mount Union at the plate by going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run and Connor Mathis was 2-for-3 with three RBI.
Zach Carlino worked 6.2 innings, allowing all six 'Berg runs on seven hits while striking out three and walking five, and earned the win to improve to 4-1. Matt Murzynski recorded the final out in the seventh to earn his first save of the season.
In the second game, RBI singles by senior right fielder Ricardo Lizcano (Toledo/Start) in the first and sophomore shortstop Andrew Zenczak (Brunswick) in the fourth gave the Student Princes a 2-1 lead.
A RBI triple by Blystone and another run-scoring single by Zenczak in the sixth increased the 'Berg advantage to 4-1.
A pair of unearned runs in the Mount Union seventh cut the Student Princes' lead to 4-3 and a RBI double by Ricky Olasz in the bottom of the ninth sent the game into extra innings.
Oldham's hit in the 10th scored Monroe for what would prove to be the 5-4 final.
Zenczak was 3-for-5 with two RBI in game two. Monroe was 2-for-4 with a run scored and Blystone was 2-for-5 with a RBI and two runs. Lizcano was 1-for-4 with a RBI and drew his 100th career walk, tying Jeremy Wentworth's (2006-09) career record.
Junior righty Tyler Fruhwirth (Beavercreek) scattered seven hits over 6.1 innings and allowed three runs (one earned) while striking out three, but worked to a no decision. Senior righty Daniel Brannum (Jamestown/Greeneview) pitched 3.2 innings of relief, surrendering one run on one hit and striking out four and improved to 6-0.
Olasz went 2-for-4 with one RBI, Anthony Morino was 2-for-4 with two runs, and Sean Mohney went 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run.
Tom Bekelsky gave up four runs (one earned) on seven hits and struck out four over 6.0 innings. Beau Smith allowed one run on three hits in 4.0 innings and was tagged with the loss to fall to 4-4.
The Student Princes will return to Tiffin for a four-game homestand with a pair of midweek games against The College of Wooster on Tuesday and Wittenberg University on Wednesday before hosting John Carroll University in a league doubleheader on Saturday, April 28.