by Geoff Roberts/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, Ohio---The Owens Community College baseball team was beaten twice on the road by Heidelberg University JV in a non-conference doubleheader today. Heidelberg's offense clicked for 31 runs over two games on Thursday afternoon.
Game 1: Heidelberg JV 17 Owens Community College 2
The first game of the doubleheader looked promising for Joseph Slivik (Warren Mott/Warren, Mich.) after he struck out the leadoff hitter. Things would go south for the lefty after that though. He walked the next batter before allowing a double to Eric Monroe. With men on second and third, the offensive star of the day, Austin Fleming knocked a home run over the wall in left center field for three quick runs.
The huge inning for Heidelberg would come in the third though when nine men crossed the plate with a Doug Miller grand slam being the highlight of the rally for Heidelberg.
In the top of the fourth, the Express got on the board with back-to-back solo home runs coming from Zach Kazmierski (Whitmer/Toledo, Ohio) and Taran Temple (Delta/Muncie, Ind.). Kazmierski's was his first with the Express.
That would be all the offense the Express could string together though as they ended up falling to Heidelberg JV.
Slivik pitched four innings for the Express and surrendered 17 runs on 12 hits while striking out four batters and giving up five walks en route to the loss. The freshman moves to 0-3 on the season.
Jimmy Kenosh went all five innings for Heidelberg, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out three. Kenosh displayed his control and issued zero walks in the game.
Game 2: Heidelberg JV 14 Owens Community College 3
Game two of the doubleheader was another tough matchup for the Express and it began in the first inning.
LHP Nick Morrow (Fairfield/Fairfield, Ohio) took the mound for the Express in the game.
Heidelberg's offense clicked again throughout the game. The first four batters for Heidelberg reached and scored and they added another in the bottom of the second.
The Express were able to gain some life back and attempt to rally from the 5-0 defecit. In the top of the third, Charlie Sipe (Northrop/Fort Wayne, Ind.) bunted for a single and thanks to a throwing error from the pitcher was standing on second base with only one out.
Kazmierski then laced a frozen rope all the way past Alex Manner to the wall in centerfield for an RBI triple that got the Express on the board. Heidelberg added a run the next inning from a Fleming home run.
Down 6-1, the Express were able to cut the Heidelberg lead in the top of the fourth. Anthony Perez (Orrville/Orrville, Ohio) got beaned in the shoulder to start the inning. Next, Chad Lupher (East Knox/Bladensburg, Ohio) smacked a double into right center. With runners on second and third, Alex Samson (Orrville/Orrville, Ohio) grounded out to the shortstop, scoring Tyler Byerly (Washington Township/Crown Point, Ind.) who was running for Perez. Tiger Jaso (Kansas Lakota/Kansas, Ohio) put the ball in play and forced a throwing error on the third baseman that scored Alec Skender (Metamora/Metamora, Ill.), who was running for Lupher.
That's as far as the Express would get and would end up losing 14-3 in five innings.
Morrow went 3.1 innings, allowing 10 runs (six earned) on five hits, striking out one and issuing six walks.
Sam Hackney (Edgewood/Trenton, Ohio) came into the game in releif and pitched 1.1 innings and allowed four runs (three earned), three hits, and two walks. It was his season debut.
Fleming was the offensive standout for Heidelberg over the two games with eight RBI, two home runs and a double.
Kazmierski finished the day with two RBI, a triple and a home run over the two games.
The Express (8-16 overall) will be back in action on Friday and Saturday when they travel to Cuyahoga Community College to take on the Challengers in two OCCAC doubleheaders.
Notes
The Kazmierski and Temple home runs were the second and third homers of the campaign for the Express. The first came off the bat of Temple back on March 4 vs. Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Fla.