CHILLICOTHE, Ohio -- The Heidelberg University baseball team opened the 2016 season with a split, falling to Manchester University, 19-10, then beating Case Western Reserve, 3-2. The games were played on the synthetic surface at the V.A. Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe.
Manchester split their games on the day and are 1-1 on the season. Case Western Reserve is now 1-4 on the season.
GAME ONE -- Manchester 19 Heidelberg 10
Manchester struck for three runs in the first two innings, thanks largely to Braydin Stell, who had a double and a home run on two pitches.
Heidelberg answered with a pair of two-out runs in the home half of the second. Ryan Marasti singled up the middle and moved to second on a walk drawn by Joe Walton. TJ Harkness slapped a single to right field, plating Marasti. Evan Long followed with an infield single up the middle to bring home Walton.
After adding a run in the third, Manchester plated two more in the fifth on two doubles and a single. Adam Manner (0-1) went 6.0 innings in his season debut with five strikeouts and four earned runs.
Manchester took total control with nine runs in the top of the seventh off the Heidelberg bullpen.
A two-out single up the middle by Kyle Slovick brought in a pair for Heidelberg and chased Manchester starter Taylor Kopplin from the game. Kopplin (1-0) went 6.2 innings, giving up two earned runs on six hits.
Cory Jacobs added an RBI double to left in the three-run Heidelberg seventh.
Manchester tacked on three more in the top of the ninth.
Down 19-5, a bevy pinch hitters helped Heidelberg plate Matt Psychas contributed an RBI single before Darrin Shirk added a two-run double. An infield single by Kyle Karaffa and a sacrifice fly by Kane Bateman drove in two more. The five-run ninth was not enough to affect the outcome.
GAME TWO -- HEIDELBERG 3 CASE WESTERN RESERVE 2
After a scoreless first, Heidelberg came out on the attack in the bottom of the second. Adam Hershberger and Marasti rapped a pair of one-out singles before Walton slashed a double down the left field line. Hershberger scored on the double and Marasti came in on a groundout by Harkness.
In the third, Heidelberg tacked on another run. Derek Hug drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on an errant pickoff attempt. Jacobs lifted a sacrifice fly to right to score Hug.
Given a 3-0 lead, game two starter Steve Huber was sharp in his season debut. He limited the Spartans and struck out the side in the fifth.
Huber cruised until the ninth. A single and a fielding error put runners on second and third with no out. After a strikeout, Huber threw a wild pitch, which allowed CWRU to plate its first run. A second run scored on a sacrifice fly. With two outs and the bases empty, Huber (1-0) struck out Tyler Schovanec.
Huber went the distance, allowing two hits while fanning 10.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
The trip to VA Memorial Stadium was a homecoming of sorts for Hug and Huber, who spent their summer playing for the Chillicothe Paints in the Prospect League.
The win was Huber's first career complete game.
UP NEXT
The Student Princes will return to VA Memorial Stadium on Sunday to face CWRU once more. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.