TIFFIN – The Heidelberg University Baseball team split a twinbill with Marietta College on Senior Day down at Peaceful Valley. HU got the win in game one, 2-0, after a masterful pitching performance from junior
Jackson Powers, and fell in the nightcap, 5-3.
Heidelberg improves to 21-14 overall and 8-8 in the OAC. Marietta now sits at 18-17 overall and 10-6 in conference action.
GAME ONE: BERG 2 MARIETTA 0
Jackson Powers (6-2) had a career day on the mound, throwing a complete game shutout for the first time in his career. He totaled 92 pitches, only giving up two hits, striking out four, and did not allow a walk in the win.
Powers found himself in an early jam in inning one, giving up a lead-off double then hitting the next batter. With two on and no outs, Powers got the next three batters out to end the inning unscathed.
In the bottom of the third,
Thomas Sauer started the inning with a single to the third base side of the infield. With one out,
Kyle Mottice reached on a fielder's choice that saw Sauer forced out at second.
Braedy Limke came to the dish and roped a two-run home run to left field in what turned out to be the game winning runs for HU.
For the rest of the game, Powers would not see more than four batters each inning, leading to what was a master class on pitching in the 2-0 win over the Pioneers.
GAME TWO: MARIETTA 5 BERG 3
Corbin Caplan got the ball in game two, going four innings, giving up two runs on four hits while fanning two.
Corey Brafford (4-3) went the rest of the way for HU and allowed two runs on three hits and struck out three in the loss.
Marietta jumped out to a quick lead after a two-run home run in the top of the first inning.
Heidelberg responded in the second, with
Aidan Corrigan leading off with a triple to center field.
Andrew Pokley followed with a single, giving HU their first run of the game. An error from the Pioneers infield allowed Sauer to get on and advance Pokley to second.
With no outs in the inning and a runner in scoring position,
Orion Kroah came to the dish and registered his first hit and RBI of the season after a single to center field scored Pokley to tie the game, 2-2.
The Pioneers got a run back in the third, taking back the lead, 3-2.
After a few scoreless innings from both teams, HU was able to tie it back up in the sixth. Sauer started with a one out single. Kroah tabbed his second hit of the game, putting Sauer in scoring position.
Limke came up clutch, hitting a two out single to center that plated Sauer to tie the game after six innings of action.
Unfortunately the visitors scored two in the top of the ninth, making way for the Pioneers to split the series at Peaceful Valley.
UP NEXT:
The Student Princes will travel to Manchester University on Monday for a single game against the Spartans that was originally scheduled for April 2. First pitch is set for 4:15 p.m.
