SAUGET, Ill - The Heidelberg University Baseball team opened up the 2024 season in Illinois on Friday against Concordia University Chicago. Andrew Cook added two home runs while five others had double-digit hits in the 14-9 win.

Braedy Limke and Aidan Corrigan both went 3-for-6 at the plate, each tallying two RBI. 

Jackson Powers picked up his first win of the season (1-0) going five innings, giving up five hits and three runs while fanning six. 

Heidelberg got off to a fast start in the new season with Limke ripping a double to left center. He later scored after stealing third base and an errant throw from the catcher. Andrew Pokley came across the plate as a Camden Farley groundout to shortstop to give HU the early 2-0 lead.

Powers found himself in an early hole with bases loaded and one out after walking three batters. He worked out of the jam getting the Cougars next two batters to ground out and hit into a fielder's choice. 

Thomas Sauer kept it rolling with a lead-off home run to left field in the top half of the second.

The scoring barrage continued in the third, as Andrew Cook laced a three-run home run to left field for his first moonshot of the season. With bases loaded and one out, Limke stayed hot as he doubled to right, allowing Kyle Krummen and Sauer to score.

Down 8-0, the Cougars were able to get two runs back in the bottom half of the third to cut their deficit to six.

With runners on second and third, Corrigan came to the dish and hit a triple to deep center field allowing two runs to score, forcing a pitching change for the hosts. A Sauer groundout gave way for Corrigan to score making it 11-2 after four innings of play.

Farley launched the third Heidelberg home run of the day in the fifth, plating two more runs for the visitors. Concordia added another run in the bottom of the fifth, making it 13-3.

Cook led off the sixth inning with his second home run of the game, adding to the lead. After HU went scoreless in the top of the seventh for the first time all game, the hosts were able to cut their deficit to 14-6.

The Cougars made things interesting in the eighth, adding two more runs to make it 14-8 in favor of The Berg heading into the ninth. HU only surrendered one more run in the final frame, leading to the 14-9 victory.

Justin Wilkins, Ben Bliss, Vincent Marimpietri, and Dylan Matusak all pitched an inning apiece in the win. 

Heidelberg's 14 hits were the most in an opening season game since recording 12 in the 2017 opener where they fell to Anderson, 12-11.

The Student Princes return to action tomorrow for a doubleheader. The first game is against Lawrence University at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET, and the second game is set for 1:30 PM CT / 2:30 PM ET against North Park.