Two of the premier pitchers in the Ohio Athletic Conference squared off in the OAC Tournament opener.
 
Heidelberg's Derek Hendrixson would prevail as the ninth-ranked Student Princes topped the John Carroll University baseball team 8-1 on Thursday afternoon in Tiffin, Ohio.
 
Heidelberg's Derek Hug connected on a two-out, two-run home run in the top of the first to give the Student Princes an early 2-0 lead.
 
In the second inning senior right-hander Drew Doring broke the single-season school record for most strikeouts. The Grafton, Wis. native got second baseman Evan Long to chase a pitch in the dirt for his 88th strikeout of the year. Two batters later T.J. Harkness chased a low pitch. The record was previously held by John O'Rourke who fanned 88 batters during the 1998 season.
 
John Carroll halved Heidelberg's lead in the top of the fourth. David Crowley led the way legging out a one-out infield single. Tyler Gentile followed suit with a blooper into left field. Crowley would come in to score on a pair of Student Princes' errors. Alex Grove skirted his attempted pickoff throw into center field allowing Crowley to advance to third. Hug sent the throw back into the infield past Heidelberg third baseman Doug Miller allowing the run to cross.
 
Heidelberg threatened in the fifth inning loading the bases. Doring responded with a strikeout and a groundout to work out of the jam.
 
The Student Princes extended their lead to 4-1 in the sixth. Christian Verde mashed a one-out home run to left field. Later in the frame Joey Rydzewski laced a sacrifice fly to put Heidelberg up by three.
 
Heidelberg added four more runs in the seventh to open up an 8-1 lead. Verde delivered the big blow with his second homer of the game.
 
Doring took his first loss of the year falling to 10-1. The senior allowed four runs on seven hits in six-plus innings of work.
 
Crowley led the way at the plate. The junior left fielder finished 2-for-4 for the afternoon.
 
Heidelberg improved to 30-10 with the win while John Carroll fell to 24-15.
 
John Carroll will play the loser of the Marietta-Baldwin Wallace game at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, May 8 in an elimination game.