TIFFIN, Ohio—Freshman right handed pitcher Ryan Minteer (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) pitched his first career shutout and the Heidelberg University baseball team swept Ohio Northern University in an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader today at Wander Field in Ada, Ohio. The Berg won the first game, 3-0, and took the nightcap, 7-4.
Minteer, in his first start in nearly a month, scattered four hits, just one for extra bases, and struck out five without allowing a walk and improved to 2-1.
The Student Princes (16-11, 5-3 OAC) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a freshman third baseman Steve Kisan (Lakewood/St. Edward) walk and a senior center fielder Elvin Williams (Euclid) fielder's choice with the bases loaded.
In the 'Berg second, a two-out walk by senior shortstop Ricardo Lizcano (Toledo/Start) load the bases and chased ONU starting pitcher Justin Good from the game, but reliever Chris Leiby worked out of the jam.
After putting runners on the corners with no outs, Minteer coaxed a double play in the ONU third to get out of the inning.
ONU (8-16, 2-5 OAC) threatened to score in the fourth on a two-out double by Tom Walton, but Lizcano's relay throw from senior left fielder Ross Pruitt (Elletsville, Ind./Edgewood) gunned down Daniel Rodriguez at the plate, trying to score from first.
In the 'Berg fifth, Williams tacked on an insurance run after stealing third base and then scoring on a wild pitch by reliever Andrew Tople.
Pruitt was 2-for-4 with a double and a run, while freshman first baseman Eric Monroe (Chagrin Falls/Kenston) and freshman designated hitter Trevor Oldham (Akron/Archbishop Hoban) each had two safeties.
Devin Kisor recorded the only multi-hit game for the Polar Bears.
Good surrendered two runs on two hits while striking out and walking three in just 1.2 innings of work and suffered the loss to fall to 1-1. Chris Leiby allowed one run on three hits in 3.0 innings, and Tople recorded the final seven outs and struck out three.
In the second game, a run batted-in single by Arneal Squibb (Mishawaka, Ind./Mishawaka) and a steal of home plate by Oldham in the second inning gave Heidelberg a 2-0 lead.
ONU countered in the bottom half of the frame and took a 4-2 lead on a two-run single by Tyler Deitering and a two-run double by Eric Yunker in back-to-back at-bats.
The Student Princes cut the deficit to 4-3 in the third inning when Monroe singled, scoring sophomore second baseman Joe Chiarappa (Clinton/St. Vincent-St. Mary's).
Heidelberg took a 6-4 lead in the sixth by rallying for three runs (all unearned) off reliever Bryce Sedio and added an insurance run in the ninth as Kisan scored on a wild pitch.
Kisan was 3-for-5 at the plate with a double, RBI and run scored. Pruitt and Monroe were each 2-for-5.
Senior starting righty Sylvester Nino (Willard) allowed four runs on three hits in just 1.1 innings before being relieved by senior righty Daniel Brannum (Jamestown/Greeneview). Brannum allowed six hits and no runs and struck out five in a career-high 7.2 innings of relief and earned the win to rise to 5-0.
Mark Hayes was 2-for-4 with a run scored and Deitering was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run to lead the ONU offense.
Matt Magni started for ONU and allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out three and walking four over 5.0 innings and worked to a no decision. Sedio faced six batters and surrendered three runs in 0.2 innings of relief and took the loss to fall to 2-3. Austin Price pitched two innings and Cody Fisher got the final four outs.
The wins give 13th-year head coach Matt Palm a 397-170 career record, leaving him three wins shy of become just the fifth coach in OAC history with 400 career wins.
Heidelberg travels Saturday to Marietta to face OAC rival Marietta College in a doubleheader. The Student Princes and Pioneers have met in the championship of the OAC tournament the last four seasons.