WHITEWATER, Wisconsin – The 2014 Heidelberg University baseball season has come to an end. In an elimination game in the Midwest Regional tournament, St. Norbert College knocked off the Student Princes, 9-4.
St. Norbert (23-15) got on the board in the bottom of the first inning with a two-run home run down the right field line by Travis Mason.
Heidelberg (31-12) responded with a methodical four-run second inning. The first four Student Princes – T.J. Harkness, Derek Hug, Adam Hershberger and Andrew Zenczak -- all singled. Zenczak's single drove in Harkness for the first run. Joe Staab and Arneal Squibb followed with a pair of sacrifice flies, giving the Student Princes their first lead of the tournament. Austin Fleming closed out the scoring with an RBI single to right center.
Undaunted, the Green Knights scored four times in the second, knocking 'Berg starter Derek Hendrixson (6-3) from the game. In his first collegiate start, Hendrixson threw 1.2 innings, issuing three walks and four hits. The freshman gave up six runs, five earned.
Adam Manner, who took over for Hendrixson in the second, held the Knights scoreless until they broke through for X in the eighth. Senior Zach O'Driscoll spelled Manner to close out the inning.
The Tricolor could not solve St. Norbert reliever Jake McMahon (4-3), who threw 6.2 innings of scoreless relief.
Five Student Princes had multi-hit afternoons in the losing effort.
The loss ends the season for the Student Princes and closes the coaching career of head coach Matt Palm. In his 15 years at the helm of the Heidelberg baseball program, Palm compiled a record of 459-209-2. His teams claimed five OAC regular season titles, four OAC tournament titles and advanced to six regional tournaments. In 2010, he guided the Tricolor to a regional title and a fourth place finish at the NCAA Division III Championship in Appleton, Wisconsin. Palm, who announced his decision to step down prior to the 2014 season, will retain his duties as athletic director at Heidelberg.
Associate head coach Chad Fitzgerald will assume the head coaching duties.