FT. MYERS, Fla.—Senior shortstop Ricardo Lizcano (Toledo/Start) hit a 10th-inning walk-off single to lift the Heidelberg University baseball team to a 9-8 victory over Wheaton (Ill.) College today in the Student Princes' brief two-game tour of the Gene Cusic Classic in Ft. Myers, Fla. The Berg fell to Widener (Pa.) College, 9-6, in the first game.
Wheaton put up a single run in the top of the second inning before plating four more in the fourth.
Heidelberg answered by exploding for five runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game. A single by junior left fielder Lashon Long (Euclid), a double by freshman third baseman Steve Kisan (North Royalton/Lakewood St. Edward) and a walk by Dylan Cooper (Macomb, Mich./Stevenson) loaded the bases for junior catcher Jordan Martin (Powell/Olentagy), who singled Long home. Sophomore shortstop Andrew Zenczak (Brunswick) drew a bases loaded walk to score Kisan before Wheaton made a pitching change. Senior center fielder Elvin Williams (Euclid) responded with a double, scoring Cooper and Martin, and sophomore second baseman Joe Staab (Bellville/Clearfork) grounded out to shortstop, scoring Zenczak, to knot the score at 5-5.
A two-out single by freshman Eric Monroe (Chagrin Falls/Kenston) and an RBI double by Cooper in the sixth inning gave Heidelberg its first lead of the day, 6-5.
Wheaton rallied with two outs in the eighth inning to tie the score, 6-6.
In the 'Berg half of the eighth frame, Lizcano singled home Staab and Zenczak to give the Student Princes an 8-6 lead going into the last inning. With one out in the inning, Zenczak reached base on an error and a Staab walk put two runners on for Lizcano, who reached second base on an error by the right fielder, but was thrown out trying to steal third base to end the rally.
A ninth-inning error proved costly for the Student Princes, as Wheaton plated two runs to tie the game, 8-8. The Berg went quietly in the ninth to send the game into extra innings.
In the 10th, junior left fielder Dan Kilger (Novi, Mich./Novi) moved Martin, who was hit by a pitch, to second base with a sacrifice bunt. Back-to-back walks by Williams and Staab loaded the bases for Lizcano's walk-off single, scoring Martin.
Sophomore right hander Chris Thomas (Canton/Perry) started and worked seven innings, allowing five runs (two earned) on 10 hits while striking out four, but did not earn the decision. Senior righty Daniel Brannum (Jamestown/Greenview) came in to hurl the eighth and ninth, giving up three runs on three hits. Junior right hander Teddy Lowe (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) came on for the 10th and earned his first victory of the season while fanning a batter.
Lizcano, Long and Monroe each had two-hit games, while Lizcano knocked in two runs. Williams, Staab, Cooper, Martin and Zenczak also had runs batted-in.
In the day's first game, Widener took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning off sophomore left handed pitcher Karl Boedecker (Commerce Township, Mich./Walled Lake).
In the third inning, the first four Widener batters reached base safely before freshman righty Travis Gray (Markle, Ind./Norwell) relieved Boedecker. Six walks during the inning opened the gates for four runs as Widener took a 5-0 lead.
Williams drew a two-out walk, stole second base and Lizcano later singled Williams home to put Heidelberg on the board before the end of the inning.
A two-out rally in the Widener fourth and single tallies in the seventh and eighth gave the Pride a 9-1 lead.
The Student Princes strung together four hits leading to a five-run eighth inning, but were retired in order in the ninth to close the game.
Boedecker (0-1) surrendered five runs on three hits and four walks, struck out two batters and was saddled with the loss. Gray worked two innings and allowed two runs and four free passes. Freshman righty Bryan Peters (Cuyahoga Falls/Woodridge) threw three innings and gave up one run on two hits before Cooper closed the final two innings, allowing just one run and fanning a batter.
At the plate, Martin went 3-for-4, while Kisan, Williams and Lizcano each had two safeties, including a double by Kisan and a triple by Lizcano, as the Berg rapped out 11 hits, despite the loss. Lizcano drove in two runs.
Six different Student Princes scored each of the team's runs.
Heidelberg returns to the Snowbird Baseball Classic in Port Charlotte, Fla. tomorrow for a 10 a.m. game against in-state foe Bluffton University.