WHITEWATER, Wis. – The month of May has not been kind to the Heidelberg University baseball team.
Heidelberg has dropped all five games in the month, including Wednesday's game against Adrian College in the Midwest Regional tournament. The Bulldogs defeated the Student Princes, 8-1.
In the top of the first, Adrian (31-13) loaded the bases with a pair of base hits and a hit by pitch. Steve Huber allowed a sacrifice fly to Sam Fischer but escaped further damage.
Heidelberg (31-12) tied up the game with a run in the third. Andrew Zenczak led off with a single and moved to third on a hit-and-run single by Joe Staab. Zenczak scored on an RBI grounder to shortstop by Alex Grove.
The Bulldogs regained the lead with a pair in the fourth. Two runners scored on a two-out single by Ryan Dorow.
Adrian broke the game open with five runs in the fifth. 'Berg starter Steve Huber departed after giving up another two-run single to Dorow. Reliever Travis Gray induced a fielder's choice for the second out, but hit Dan Heatherly to force in a run, giving Adrian an 8-1 advantage. Zenczak ended the inning with a fine play on a bouncing ball up the middle, just nipping R.J. Rios at first with the throw.
Huber threw 4.1 innings, allowing eight runs on 11 hits. Gray threw 2.2 innings of scoreless and hitless baseball.
Chris Thomas worked a scoreless eighth and Zach O'Driscoll worked a perfect ninth inning.
Adrian starter Brent Greenwood pitched a complete game, allowing just one run on seven hits. Greenwood walked one and hit a batter, but fanned six. Right fielder Drew Shutes recorded eight putouts.
Adrian advances to face the winner of the Concordia-Chicago/UW-La Crosse game.
The loss forces the Student Princes into the consolation bracket. Heidelberg will face St. Norbert in an elimination game on Thursday. Despite rain in the forecast, first pitch is slated for a 1 p.m. EDT/noon CDT start.