BEREA, Ohio --  The highly-anticipated 2020 season for the No. 5 Heidelberg University baseball team began with a neutral-site doubleheader split. HU fell to Anderson 4-3 in the opener, then rebounded for a 4-2 win over SUNY Oswego in the second game.  The games were played at Baldwin Wallace University.  

On the day, Heidelberg pitchers struck out 29 batters.  

Kyle Jenkins had three hits on the day, while Keaton Mark, Marc Ochoa, Jake Davis and Eric DeVore each tallied two.  

ANDERSON 4   HEIDELBERG 3

The Student Princes struck first blood with an unearned run in the first.  Kyle Jenkins singled and moved to second on a balk.  He scored from third when a Marc Ochoa fly ball was mishandled in right field.  

Despite three strikeouts by Ross Thompson, Anderson scored a pair on an infield hit in the bottom of the first. Thompson would go on to record the first seven outs via strikeout.   

Heidelberg tied the game in the top of the sixth.  Eric DeVore led off with a double to right, then moved to third on a groundout by Keaton Mark.  As he did many times in 2019, Tyler Smith laid down a great bunt, beat it out, and picked up the game-tying RBI.  

The momentum was short lived, as the Ravens touched up reliever Brady Knizner for a run in the bottom of the frame.  

In the eighth, catcher Marc Ochoa smashed a one-out solo home run to center, knotting the game at 3-3.  

Anderson won it in the ninth in an unconventional manner.  After HU thwarted a squeeze play with a quick throw to the plate by third baseman Kyle Jenkins, the Ravens walked off with a win via a wild pitch.  

Thompson, who transferred from Capital University, struck out 12 in an even five innings of work in his 'Berg debut.  He allowed two runs on five hits.  Knizner worked 2.0+ innings and allowed a run on four hits.  Mason Metz (0-1) took the loss, allowing one run on two hits.  

The last time Heidelberg lost to Anderson in the season opener was way back in 2019.  As a reminder, that season ended with a trip to the Division III College World Series.  

HEIDELBERG 4   OSWEGO 2

With little time to feel down, Heidelberg returned to action in the nightcap.  Unlike the first game, Heidelberg fell behind early and rallied back. 

Down 1-0 in the third, Heidelberg took the lead in the third.  With two outs, Zach Doran drew a walk and scampered to third on a basehit by Jenkins.  Doran would score on a wild pitch, tying the game.  DeVore doubled home Jenkins with an extra-base hit to left.  

In the fourth, HU tacked on a run.  Mark singled and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Smith.  Jake Davis singled to center, but the throw from the outfield was off the mark, which allowed Mark to score.  

The Lakers added a run in the bottom of the fifth, getting to within 3-2.  

A much-needed insurance run came in the seventh.  Pinch hitter Chris Bell hit a double to right, then made way for pinch runner Josiah Aska.  Aska scored on a double to left center by Doran.  

After missing the 2019 campaign, Cameron Deemer returned to action with four innings of scoreless relief.  Deemer danced out of trouble in the ninth to pick up the save, picking up six strikeouts along the way.  

Adkins (1-0) earned the win with five innings of five-hit baseball.  He fanned seven.  

With the victory, Heidelberg retains the Division III rights to Tim Cronin.  Cronin was a Heidelberg graduate assistant from 2018-2019 after he completed a stellar undergraduate career on the mound for the Lakers in 2017.  Cronin is currently an assistant coach at Division II Seton Hill -- the undergrad alma mater for Heidelberg head coach Chad Fitzgerald and graduate assistant Adam Ferita.  

UP NEXT: 

Heidelberg returns to action next weekend at the Crossroads Crossover -- a three-game set at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind.