TIFFIN – In their regular season home finale, the No. 8 Heidelberg University baseball team fell behind early but roared back to secure a 17-9 victory over the College of Wooster. The Fighting Scots lead 6-0 and 8-2, but the Student Princes scored 11 unanswered runs and improved to 31-7.
The offensive onslaught was led by the 4-7 hitters in Matt Palm's lineup, who combined for 13 hits and 13 runs.
After a tough start by Adam Manner, reliever Travis Gray allowed one run in the three innings and picked up his first career win.
"I thought the key innings were the three innings that Travis gave us today," said Palm, a '95 graduate of Wooster. "He was able to limit Wooster and gave our bats a chance to get back in it."
Down 6-0 in the second, Eric Monroe unleashed a two-run homer that sailed over the wall in left. It was his team-high fourth home run of the season.
Wooster (24-13) scored a pair of unearned runs off of Manner in the third, but the Student Princes erupted for four in the bottom of the inning. Alex Grove walked before Derek Hug and T.J. Harkness were hit by pitches. After Grove scored on a wild pitch, Monroe laced a two-run single down the left field line. A single by Adam Hershberger chased Monroe third, where he would score on a sacrifice fly by Trevor Oldham.
When Gray came on to start the fourth, Wooster added a run on three straight one-out singles, taking a 9-6 lead. Fortunately for the Student Princes, Gray settled in and the offense continued to surge.
In the fifth, Heidelberg took the lead with five runs, four of which came around with two outs. Hug and Harkness singled to start the frame and a walk to Monroe loaded the bases. Hershberger, who finished with four hits, plated Hug with a single to left. Harkness scored on a double play off the bat of Oldham.
Clinging to an 8-7 lead with two outs, Wooster could not limit the damage. Andrew Zenczak drew a walk before Joe Staab singled home Monroe. Arneal Squibb chopped a bouncer to short that was mishandled by Wooster, allowing Zenczak to score the go-ahead run. Grove drove in Staab with a double to left center.
Gray retired the Scots in order in the fifth and the Tricolor offense got back to work. Monroe and Hershberger hit back-to-back doubles with one out. Oldham walked and Zenczak was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Staab forced in a run with a walk and Squibb lifted a sacrifice fly to right center.
The Student Princes added insurance runs in their final two at bats, scoring twice in the seventh and once in the eighth.
Steve Huber worked a scoreless seventh inning and Derek Hendrixson fanned three in two scoreless innings for Heidelberg.
"We were down early, but our guys didn't give in and just kept battling," said Palm.
Coaching in his final regular season home game and facing his alma mater, the victory was especially sweet for Palm.
"Win, lose or draw, it's just kind of neat the way it worked out," said Palm, who, prior to the season, announced his plans to step down as baseball coach and focus on his role as Heidelberg athletic director. "It was fun to play my alma mater, the guy that coached me and my coaching mentor [Tim Pettorini]."
After the game, Pettorini hugged Palm after shaking hands at home plate.
The Student Princes close the regular season with a doubleheader at Ohio Northern on Saturday. The Polar Bears are in the hunt for a tournament berth.
"We anticipate that Northern is going to play really hard because they have a chance to get to the postseason – and that's the way it should be," said Palm. "This has been a great year for our conference and there are a lot of talented teams."
Marietta and Heidelberg are both 13-3 in the OAC and have clinched the top two spots in the four-team tournament, but are still jockeying for the top spot and the right to host. John Carroll (10-6), Baldwin Wallace (9-7), Ohio Northern (9-7), Mount Union (8-8), Otterbein (7-9) and Muskingum (7-9) are all in the hunt for the final two spots.
The doubleheader in Ada will begin at 1 p.m.