TIFFIN – The Heidelberg University baseball team faced a deficit they were unable to dig out of on Wednesday, falling in a non-conference contest to Ohio Wesleyan University. The Student Princes had to rally from an early hole to take a one-run lead in the 5th, but the Battling Bishops then piled on in the sixth to pull away. The 22-7 defeat ended the Berg's winning streak at eight, while OWU won their 9th straight game, improving to 12-4 on the season.
Heidelberg freshman Sam Ankrom ran into trouble early on in his third start of the season, allowing three runs in the top of the first. The Student Princes were able to answer with one in the bottom of the inning, but Ankrom was unable to get things under control in the second, allowing three more to get chased from the game after 1.1 innings.
At this point, Jimmy Kenosh came in on the mound in relief and did all that was asked of him to keep the Berg in the game.
In the bottom of the 3rd inning and still trailing 6-1, Christian Verde came through with a huge three-run homer to left field, his second homer in as many days. That cut the deficit to just two runs entering the fourth.
With Kenosh keeping the Battling Bishops off the board, Heidelberg rallied for one in the fourth and two in the fifth inning to take a 7-6 lead, coming all the way back after their early hole.
That lead was short-lived, however, as Ohio Wesleyan found their groove in the top of the sixth, going for nine runs in the inning, taking advantage of a Berg miscue to tack on five runs with two out in the inning.
The Student Princes would be unable to fight back from that point, facing a deficit that continued to grow as the game went on, falling by a final score of 22-7.
Kenosh (1-1) finished his relief appearance going 3.2 innings, allowing just three hits and two runs while striking out one.
Offensively, Verde led the way going 3-for-4 at the plate, driving in four runs to improve his average to .439 on the season.
EXTRA BASES: Derek Hug stole two more bases in the game, bringing his total to 14 on the year, as he leads the Ohio Athletic Conference.
In the Berg's 18 games on the year, they have had two win streaks that have been snapped at eight.
UP NEXT
The Student Princes will look to regroup quickly, as they travel to Alliance on Friday, April 3rd, to take on Purple Raiders of Mount Union. The first game of that OAC doubleheader is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m.