TIFFIN, Ohio—The Heidelberg University baseball team will look to extend its three-game winning streak Tuesday when it faces Otterbein University in an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader at Fishbaugh Field in Westerville, Ohio. The first game is slated for 1 p.m.
Live stats for both games will be available here.
Senior shortstop Ricardo Lizcano (Toledo/Start) hit three home runs last week, bringing his season total to an OAC-leading five, and his career total to 31, tied with Aaron Fischer (1996-2000) for the school career record. Lizcano also needs three triples, 28 total bases, 35 runs, 46 runs batted in and 60 hits to break other school career marks.
The Student Princes (13-8, 2-0 OAC) swept Wilmington College on Saturday, as Lizcano hit a home run in each game. Senior center fielder Elvin Williams (Euclid) finished the day 4-for-8 with a pair of runs scored, freshman first baseman Eric Monroe (Chagrin Falls/Kenston) was 4-for-7 with a RBI and a run, and Lizcano and freshman designated hitter Trevor Oldham (Akron/Archbishop Hoban) rapped out three hits each. Junior right handed pitchers Tyler Fruhwirth (Beavercreek) and sophomore righty Chris Thomas (Canton/Perry) both turned in impressive outings on the mound. Fruhwirth authored a shutout in the first game, surrendering just four hits while striking out three and walking none, and Thomas scattered eight hits and struck out three over 7.0 innings in the night cap.
The Berg’s top five sluggers are each hitting above .350, led by senior left fielder Ross Pruitt (Elletsville, Ind./Edgewood) (.405, 18 RBI, 0 HR, 16 R), who is tied for fifth in the OAC in batting average and is eighth in RBI. Oldham (.395, 9, 0, 16) is ninth in batting average and leads the circuit with a .544 on-base percentage. Lizcano (.388, 23, 5, 21) leads the OAC with a .725 slugging percentage, is third in RBI, and sixth in both runs scored and a .490 OBP, and owns a 1.215 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. Monroe (.367, 15, 2, 11) is slugging .551, good for 10th in the OAC. Williams (.355, 7, 0, 15) and Oldham both own team-high 11-game hitting streaks.
Junior righty Teddy Lowe (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) and senior right hander Daniel Brannum (Jamestown/Greeneview) rank first and second in the OAC in appearances, respectively, coming out of the bullpen. Lowe (6.30 ERA, 11 K, 20.0 IP) is 3-2 in 13 appearances, while Brannum (3.68, 22, 22.0) is 3-0 in 11 appearances and is tied for seventh in the conference in strikeouts. Fruhwirth (3.86, 22, 37.1), Thomas (4.50, 18, 34.0) and freshman right handers Ryan Minteer (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) (4.74, 10, 19.0) and Bryan Peters (Cuyahoga Falls/Woodridge) (6.06, 11, 16.1) have each seen significant action as starters.
In 561 career games, 13th-year head coach Matt Palm is 394-167 (.702) and is looking for six more victories to become just the fifth coach in OAC history with 400 career wins, behind only the legendary Don Schaly of Marietta College (1,442), Bob Fisher of Baldwin-Wallace College (700), Dick Fishbaugh of Otterbein University (617), and Herb Strayer of Ohio Northern University (592).
Otterbein (14-8, 1-1 OAC) split a doubleheader Saturday against the University of Mount Union. Dustin Reuter hurled a shutout in game one, allowing just two hits while striking out 11 and Greg Moomaw finished the day 6-for-9 at the plate with a RBI and a pair of runs scored.
Wes Meadows (.400, 23, 4, 16) paces the Cardinal offense, ranking eighth in the OAC in batting average, second in home runs, tied for third in RBI and second with a .680 slugging percentage. Billy Harkenrider (.360, 10, 2, 23) and A.J. Finlay (.352, 11, 0, 17) are tied for second and ninth in the OAC, respectively, in runs scored.
Reuter (2.13, 35, 38.0) and David Cydrus (3.65, 17, 37.0) anchor the pitcher staff and Dominic Poretta (7.54, 15. 22.2) and Moomaw (4.13, 19, 28.1) have both logged innings as a starter. Jon Cheyney (2.08, 8, 8.2) is 1-0 in six appearances out of the bullpen, while Matt Frey (3.79, 14, 19.0) is 1-0 in seven appearances, including two as a starter.
Following Tuesday’s twinbill, the Berg will host Muskingum University in an OAC doubleheader Friday before embarking on a four-game road trip the following week.