By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, OH---The Express baseball team rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to capture a 4-3 win over Heidelberg University JV in their home opener today.
Dane Davis started for the Express and pitched five solid, scoreless innings. He allowed only two hits, while striking out four as the Express led 1-0 when he departed.
That one run came in the third inning when Nate Manis singled, stole second and third, and scored on a throwing error by Heidelberg's catcher on the steal of third.
Heidelberg would tie the game at one-all in the top of the seventh with an RBI double from Austin Fleming.
The Express took a 2-1 lead in the bottom half when Nick Collins led off with a single, advanced to second on a HBP with Manis at bat, moved to third on a fielder's choice and scored on a fielding error by Heidelberg's shortstop.
Heidelberg then scored two unearned runs in the ninth inning off Express reliever Dru Sebastian. With one out, Sebastian allowed a single and a wild pitch. The next batter bunted the ball, but Sebastian couldn't field it properly, allowing the tying run to score. Another wild pitch brought in second run to give Heidelberg a 3-2 lead.
In the bottom half, the Express strung together a walk and four hits with one out to win it. Manis got things started with a walk. Justin Elder and Alex Samson then hit back-to-back singles that loaded the bases. Logan Shullick then followed with an RBI single to center field that tied the game.
Ben Breymier followed with a game-winning RBI single up the middle to end the game.
Sebastian picked up the win in relief, while Nick Street, Sean Koerber and Garrett Scott also each pitched one inning in relief of Davis. Sebastian's final line included one hit, two runs (zero earned) and two strikeouts.
Street allowed a hit while striking out one in a scoreless sixth, Koerber allowed two hits and one run in the seventh and Scott allowed two walks in a scoreless eighth.
Elder led the Express offensively while finishing 2-for-4 with a run and two stolen bases. Shullick and Breymier picked up the only two RBIs for the Express.
In addition to Elder, Manis also finished with two stolen bases.
Six different Heidelberg players picked up one hit apiece, but only one (Fleming) had an RBI. Noah Reiter added a team-high two runs for Heidelberg.
Notes
The Express are next scheduled to take on Muskegon Community College at home on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. The schedule calls for two, seven inning games.
Today's game was originally scheduled to be against Lourdes University JV on the road, but a late schedule changed forced a Lourdes cancellation.
