It would have been difficult to find two games that played out more differently than the two games John Carroll, and Heidelberg staged on Tuesday, April 9 at Kent State University's Schoonover Stadium in Kent, Ohio.

JCU defeated the Heidelberg Student Princes 14-0 in game one in a game that was as lopsided as the score would suggest. Game two featured the Blue Streaks building a 4-1 lead only to surrender 11 unanswered runs in what became a 12-7 loss -- its first Ohio Athletic Conference setback of 2019.


Game One
For the 13th time of the 2019 season the Blue and Gold scored double-digit runs, except this time it took a little bit longer than usual for the JCU scoring train to get moving down the tracks.

John Carroll is typically susceptible to early leads as they have scored two runs or more in eight games this season. Although they did not score a pair of runs in the first inning, they did not walk away empty handed.

The Blue Streaks scored in unfamiliar fashion, as senior Patrick Keohane crossed home plate off of a poor play by the Student Princes defense. Over the next three innings the Blue and Gold were held scoreless but once the bottom of the fifth inning rolled around, the bottles popped and the runs flowed.

In the fifth inning, sophomore Sam Heaton and junior Aaron Zawadzki started the scoring spree with a pair of RBI singles. Junior Joe Charpentier contributed an RBI double to conclude a three-run inning.

Heidelberg attempted to slow down a high-rolling JCU offensive scoring attack but the Blue Streaks refused to be stopped. John Carroll sent each batter to the plate in the sixth inning, scoring six runs in total. Two of those runs came courtesy of Zawadzki, as he hit a triple into the right center field gap, scoring two runs. That was not the lone triple of the inning as junior David Ferguson hit a triple himself, scoring Charpentier.

The Student Princes made two pitching changes within the fifth and sixth innings, as starter Brady Knizner was pulled after a 4.2 innings pitched performance, allowing nine hits and three earned runs. His relievers (Brady Ansara and Ryan Keane) did not provide much relief, allowing a combined six earned runs.

After a scoreless seventh inning the Blue Streaks added four insurance runs, mostly at the cost of the Heidelberg defense. JCU scored on a wild pitch, passed ball, and off a ground out.

Caught in the midst of yet another offensive outburst was JCU registering their first shutout since game one of the season. Freshman Mitchell Midea earned the win, pitching 6.0 innings, striking out six batters, and only allowing two hits. He improves to 5-1 on the season.

Sophomore John Merrill pitched the final 3.0 innings, striking out four batters and allowing three hits.   

It was the fifth shutout for JCU in its all-time series with Heidelberg, and its first since 2016.

John Carroll continued its perfect 7-0 OAC start this year, the best start in program history.

Game Two
It somewhat came as a surprise to see the Blue Streaks slow down the bats in game two, considering they walked away from game one as the eighth best scoring team in the country — averaging 9.2 runs per game.

Heidelberg proved that game one was an anomaly for their pitching staff that has helped them receive 20 votes for the top 25 teams in Division III.  The Student Princes 3.75 ERA on the year is the second best in the OAC.

However, it was no surprise to see the Blue and Gold score in the first inning. JCU took a 1-0 lead after Charpentier singled to center field, scoring senior Dominic Mittiga.

Heidelberg broke an 11 inning curse of scoreless play with their first run of the day in the third inning, tying the game at one run.

John Carroll did not take overly long to respond, as Ferguson scored Zawadzki off a double to left center field. JCU took the 2-1 advantage, heading into the sixth inning of play.

Junior Cameron Mayle started the sixth inning out on the mound, removing sophomore Andrew Steele from his 5.0 innings pitched performance which featured four strikeouts and no earned runs.

The Blue Streaks added two additional runs in the sixth inning off an RBI triple from Mittiga. He later scored on the same play off a throwing error, giving JCU a 4-1 lead at the end of the sixth inning.

It would go immediately south from that point on. 
 
In the seventh inning the Student Princes took advantage of a young Blue Streaks pitching staff, scoring four runs and taking the 5-4 lead. The eighth inning did not get better as Parker Fronk of Heidelberg hit a two-run single to give the Student Princes the 7-4 lead.

Heidelberg would tag five more runs to the board in the top of the ninth. Over the final three innings, Heidelberg scored 11 runs, collected eight hits, drew seven walks and took full advantage of three JCU fielding errors.

The Blue Streaks didn't go down without a fight in the bottom of the ninth.  After getting the bases loaded, Keohane doubled down the right field line to clear the bases and make the score 12-7, this would be the final score.  That double moved Keohane into the top 20 in program history in RBIs.

This was Steele's fourth start of six on the season that he didn't allow an earned run.  Despite the loss, Steele gets a no-decision to remain perfect at 5-0 on the year, Steele's ERA will fall to 1.82 and a 1.20 ERA as a starter.

The Blue Streaks move to 18-7 on the year and hold onto first place in the OAC with a 7-1 conference record.  

The Blue Streaks will travel again tomorrow to New Wilmington, PA, to face former Westminster College (10-12 on the year).