FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Heidelberg University baseball team dropped a pair of close games against UW-Stout on Monday in Florida. The Student Princes fell in extra innings in game one before an early deficit proved to be too much as the Berg fell 7-4 in game two.
The first game featured a lot of back-and-forth action, as the middle innings saw both teams trade blows and exchange the lead. Heidelberg opened the scoring with an RBI single by T.J. Harkness in the third, but UW-Stout responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame.
After an RBI groundout by Joe Walton knotted the score at two in the fourth, the Blue Devils answered again and took the lead with one run in the bottom of the inning.
Adam Hershberger regained the lead for HU with a two-run single in the top of the fifth, and after a scoreless bottom of the fifth, the Berg tacked on another run to their lead when Derek Hug drove in another run in the top of the sixth.
That would turn out to be the last of the scoring for the Berg, as UW-Stout scored one in the sixth and one in the seventh to tie the game. After neither was able to get their offense going late and Heidelberg was unable to score a runner on third with one out in the ninth, the Blue Devils made them pay when they walked off with an RBI double in the bottom of the 10th.
Steve Huber was the starter for HU in the game and ended up with no decision, giving up four runs in six innings while striking out six. Freshman Alex Sir Louis took the loss in relief, throwing 3.1 innings and giving up a pair of runs.
Harkness led the Student Princes on offense in game one with three hits, including a double.
Game two did not get off to the best of start for the Berg, as UW-Stout scored two in the first and two in the second to put HU in an early four run hole.
The Student Princes finally put a run on the board in the bottom of the third inning when Hug drove in Ryan Marasti.
UW-Stout stretched their lead to 6-1 after a run in both the sixth and seventh inning before HU was able to respond. RBIs by Marasti and Hug gave the Berg life in the seventh, cutting the deficit to three.
Both teams would score one in the eighth, and Heidelberg was unable to climb all the way back as they fell by a 7-4 final.
Kyle Fluharty (1-2) took the loss after throwing six innings for the Berg. Conner Pacella threw the final inning for the Student Princes and retired the Blue Devils in order.
Hershberger went 4-for-4 in the game for the Berg while Hug went 2-for-3 with two RBI and his 14th career triple, moving him into sole possession of third place in the Heidelberg baseball record books.
UP NEXT
The Student Princes will be back in Fort Myers tomorrow, March 15th, when they face Skidmore College at noon at the Lee County Player Development Complex.