Tiffin, Ohio – April 20, 2011 – Senior Joe Rourke (Lockport, Ill. / Lockport Township) drew a bases loaded walk in the ninth inning to help lead the Heidelberg University baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of Baldwin-Wallace College this afternoon at Peaceful Valley in Tiffin, Ohio. Heidelberg's ninth inning rally in game two led to a 6-5 victory that followed a 3-1 'Berg win in the opener.
The sweep improves Heidelberg, ranked seventh in the nation according to D3Baseball.com, to 26-6 overall and 10-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference, while the Yellow Jackets fall to 15-15 and 3-9.
Down 5-3, Willie Brechun (Canton, Ohio / Canton Central Catholic) began the sting operation in Heidelberg's final at bat. Brechun stepped up to the plate and sent one over the left field fence to start a string of five consecutive hits. Jason Lash (Strongsville, Ohio / Strongsville) and Derek Andrzejczak (Sylvania, Ohio / Sylvania Northview) followed with a double and single, respectively. Knocking in the game-tying run was Zach Colatruglio (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick) with a single through the left side. Andrew Buelow (Marysville, Mich. / Marysville) ran out a bunt down the left side to load the bases for Rourke. Andrew Zenczak (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick) pinch ran for Andrzejczak and got credit for scoring the game-winning run.
Heidelberg finished game two with 14 hits. Leading the way with a 4-for-5 outing was Andrzejczak. Alex Monroe (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston) finished 3-for-3 with two walks, a run scored and a RBI. Also finishing with multiple hits was Brechun and Colatruglio. Brechun finished with a team-leading two RBI.
Andy Lowe (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Carroll) came in relief and threw the final 2.2 innings to improve to 3-1 on the year. He gave up two hits, while striking out two and did not allow a run to score. Sylvester Nino (Willard, Ohio / Willard) got the start and went 6.1 innings in the no-decision. He scattered five hits and struck out five. Nino gave up five runs, with just two earned.
In the opener, a three-run second inning proved to be enough runs for Heidelberg in the 3-1 victory. In the second, with two outs, Andrzejczak, Jordan Martin (Powell, Ohio / Olentangy) and Ricardo Lizcano (Toledo, Ohio / Roy C. Start) had RBI singles to put the Berg on top 3-1.
Baldwin-Wallace erased the shutout in the third inning with a RBI single by Jay Yost.
Nathan James (Rockport, Ind. / South Spencer) improved to 5-1 on the year after getting the start and throwing a six-hitter through six innings of work. He struck out seven in the process and the lone Yellow Jacket run scored was unearned. Lowe finished out the contest and preserved his 11th victory on the year. The NCAA Division III and Heidelberg career saves leader did not allow a hit and struck out two.
At the plate, finishing with a hit apiece was Lizcano, Gar Keen (Sparta, Ohio / Highland), Brechun, Lash, Andrzejczak and Martin. Scoring a run each was Lash, Andrzejczak and Buelow.