03-06-07BB

Heidelberg Baseball Posts 3-2 Win Over Wittenberg

The Heidelberg College baseball team posted a 3-2 victory over Wittenberg on Monday at the Port Charlotte Invitational in Port Charlotte, Fla. The Berg currently boasts an overall record of 1-1 on the year. Heidelberg opened up action in the invitational with a 4-3 setback at the hands of St. John’s.

In the win over Wittenberg, Alex Rutter (Bowling Green, Ohio / Bowling Green) got things started offensively in the second inning with a lead-off triple. Rutter rounded the bases and scored to put the Berg on top 1-0 early.

Wittenberg knotted the game at 1-1 in the fifth inning and went on to take a 2-1 lead in the seventh.

Heidelberg’s offense returned in the eighth inning. L.B. Emrhein (Seven Hills, Ohio / Padua Franciscan) started the inning with a single. Steve Calevro (Perrysburg, Ohio / Perrysburg) advanced Emrhein to second on a sacrifice bunt and sophomore Jack Bault (Randolph, Ohio / Waterloo) pinch hit for the Berg and connected for a triple to right center field, knocking in Emrhein to even the score at 2-2. Jeremy Wentworth (Johnstown, Ohio / St. Charles) recorded a sacrifice fly to bring Bault across home plate for the eventual game-winning run.

Senior Matt Decker (Maumee, Ohio / Springfield) started his first game on the mound since his freshman campaign, going 6.2 innings and gave up two runs. Fellow classmate Dan Machovina (Elyria, Ohio / Midview) came in relief, pitching 1.2 innings to earn the win. Machovina entered the game in the seventh inning with two outs and a runner on second. Machovina forced the batter to pop out to the shortstop to end Wittenberg’s threat.

Wittenberg went down, one-two-three in the eighth inning, allowing Heidelberg to hold on to its 3-2 lead. Machovina pitched through one out in the final inning and received assistance from freshman Justin Ocheltree (Bellville, Ohio Clearfork). Ocheltree faced three batters, striking out two to end the game for the Berg.