TIFFIN – A big fifth inning propelled the Heidelberg University baseball team to a non-conference win over Denison University. The Student Princes scored five times in the fifth and held on for a 6-4 victory.  

The Berg moved to 8-10 on the season and Denison dropped to 7-3.

Alex Manner, Clayton Wielinski and Cory Jacobs each had two hits to pace the HU offense.

In the bottom of the second, Denison's Mikey Rivera hit Evan Long and walked Joe Walton. With two outs, TJ Harkness ripped a single to left, plating Long – giving Heidelberg a 1-0 lead.

Berg starter Kyle Fluharty danced out of trouble in the top of the 5th. The Big Red opened with a pair of basehits, but Fluharty struck out Jake Meegan, who couldn't get a bunt down. The HU southpaw then induced an innin-ending 4-3 double play.

In the bottom half of the inning, Alex Manner led off with a bunt basehit. Derek Hug and Adam Hershberger were hit by pitches to load the bases. Wielinski rapped a single up the middle, plating a pair. Jacobs followed with an RBI double down the line in left. With runners on second and third, Long hit a bouncer up the middle that squeaked through the drawn-in infield, scoring two more. Side-winding reliever Connor Hanrahan was able to get three outs without allowing Long to come around to score. In total, HU sent 10 to the plate and scored five times, taking a 6-0 lead.

The Big Red scratched a run across in the sixth. A leadoff single and stolen base by Eric Zmuda put Denison in business. After moving to third on an infield single, Zmuda scampered home on a wild pitch. Joey Wenning ended the inning with a nifty defensive play on a high bouncer to second. Wenning gloved and gunned, edging out Jake Larson at first.

Fluharty (2-3) went six strong innings, allowing eight hits and striking out six. Soild relief work from Sam Ankrom and Anthony Hajdu kept the Big Red off the board until the ninth.

Denison didn't go quietly in the ninth. With Jacobs on in relief, the first four reached, scoring three. With the tying run at the plate, Hug recorded the first out on a diving grab in right. Jacobs, working his second day in a row, struck out Noah Hahn for the second out. Long scooped a short hop and fired across to Parker Fronk for the final out.

Defensively, Heidelberd turned three double plays in the win.

The Student Princes head to the Wolverine State for a pair of non-conference games this week – at Albion on Tuesday and at Adrian on Wednesday. Both games are slated for 4 p.m. starts.