Seventh Inning Rally Earns Split With No. 21 Otterbein

Senior Tyler Tocco’s (Dublin, Ohio / Coffman) RBI single to right center field in the bottom of the seventh inning scored pinch runner Dan McFarland (Akron, Ohio / Firestone) from second to give the Heidelberg College baseball team a come from behind 6-5 win in game two over No. 21 Otterbein College. The game two victory earned a split with Otterbein on the day. The Cardinals posted a 7-4 win in game one. Following the split Heidelberg stands at 22-10 overall and 9-3 in the Ohio Athletic Conference and the Cardinals boast an overall record of 21-7 and a 9-3 league record.

The split keeps Heidelberg and Otterbein in a tie atop the league standings with three OAC doubleheaders remaining in the 2007 schedule. Winner of the regular season championship earns the right to host the OAC Tournament May 10-13. Following a game behind the Berg and Cardinals is defending National Champion Marietta College with an 8-4 league mark.

In game two, Heidelberg faced a 5-4 deficit heading into its last at bat. With one out Jack Bault (Randolph, Ohio / Waterloo) singled and moved to second base on an error by the right fielder. Everett Thomas (Evansville, Ind. / Harrison) pinch ran for Bault and two batters later crossed home plate on an RBI single from Matt Hille (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Homestead). Dan McFarland pinch ran for Hille and scored on the RBI single from Tocco with two outs to earn the 6-5 Heidelberg win.  

Junior right hander Andrew McFarland (Mansfield, Ohio / Madison) picked up the win on the mound for Heidelberg. Andrew McFarland pitched a complete game and gave up 16 hits, while striking out three. For the year Andrew McFarland improved to 4-1.

Offensively in game two, Heidelberg was led by L.B. Emrhein (Seven Hills, Ohio / Padua Franciscan) with a 2-for-2 outing and two runs scored and an RBI. Included on the list of hits for Emrhein was his first collegiate home run. Also finishing with two hits was Bault, Tocco and Hille.

In game one, Otterbein jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and held Heidelberg scoreless for the first four innings en route to the 7-4 win. Otterbein extended its lead to 6-0 in the fifth inning before Heidelberg crossed home plate.

Leading the way in game one was sophomore Jeremy Wentworth (Johnstown, Ohio / St. Charles) with a 2-for-4 game with two runs scored. Alex Rutter (Bowling Green, Ohio / Bowling Green) finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Matt Grassley (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. / North) and Matt Decker (Maumee, Ohio / Springfield) also recorded multiple hits.

Heidelberg returns to action at Baldwin-Wallace April 25. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m.