TIFFIN -- Two sensational starts by sophomores secured a Sunday sweep for the Student Princes.  The Heidelberg University baseball team beat visiting Ohio Northern, 5-1 and 4-2, to win the weekend series, three games to one.  

Ryan Hackworth and Jake Hall -- each making their first collegiate start -- combined for 13 scoreless innings and 12 strikeouts, issuing a total of nie hits.  

Offensively, freshman Reece McNeely paced the Student Princes with four hits.  Marc Ochoa had three hits and three RBI while Kyle Jenkins added three hits.  

GAME ONE:  BERG 5   ONU 1

Eight on the nine HU starters recorded a hit in the opener as the Student Princes collected 10 hits and drew six walks.

In the bottom of the fourth, Heidelberg broke a scoreless tie with two runs.  Kyle Jenkins walked, stole second, moved to third on a ground out, and scored on a wild pitch.  With two outs and the bases empty, Tyler Smith walked and moved to second on a single to left by Zane Mirgon.  Robert Hunt lined a double down the right field line that tipped off the glove of the ONU first baseman.  Smith scored on the play.   

The Berg tacked on another in the fifth.  Keaton Mark ripped a one-out single through the right side and moved to second on an infield single by Jenkins.  After a stolen base, Mark scored on an infield single to third by Marc Ochoa.

In the seventh, Ochoa sauntered around the bases -- reaching on a walk, advancing on a passed ball and a wild pitch.  With two outs, Tyler Smith rocketed a double to the warning track in left, scoring Ochoa.

Ohio Northern was scoreless through eight, thanks to a combination of great pitching by starter Ryan Hackworth and superb defense.  To end the top of the third, second baseman Tyler Smith used a behind-the-back flip to Zach Doran, starting a 4-6-3 double play.  

Hackworth went six full innings of shutout baseball in his first collegiate start.  He fanned six and allowed five hits.   

Ridge Clark picked up his first career save, going the final three innings.  The sidewinder struck out three.  

GAME TWO:  BERG 4   ONU 2

Heidelberg took a lead in the third.  With runners on the corners, Ochoa hit a two-out single through the left side to score Mark.  

Despite threatening in many of the middle innings, Heidelberg wasn't able to find insurance runs until the seventh.  Reece McNeely led off with a single and stole second.  With two outs, he scored on a single by Jenkins.  After a single by Ochoa, Jake Vanek ripped a double just inside the right field line -- plating two.  

All the while, sophomore southpaw Jake Hall baffled the Polar Bears.  Hall (1-0) threw seven scoreless innings of four-hit baseball, striking out six.  Aiding Hall's efforts were a series of stellar defensive plays by Doran at shortstop.  

As they did in the first game, ONU spoiled the shutout with some offense in the ninth inning.  In the nightcap, the Polar Bears scored two unearned runs off of Brady Knizner.  The visitors managed to get the tying run into scoring position, but a ground out to Smith sealed the win for the Tricolor.  

STAT OF THE DAY:  
Heidelberg stole 11 bases on the day and was caught once.  McNeely swiped three while Jenkins and Mark each stole two. Added to their five from Saturday, HU has 16 stolen bases in four games -- more than the 12 they had in 12 games in 2020.   

UP NEXT:  

Heidelberg is scheduled to face Mount Union (2-0) next weekend for a four-game set.  Saturday is in Tiffin, Sunday is in Alliance.  Both doubleheaders are slated for the customary 1 p.m. start.