ALBION, Mich. – Designated hitter Dylan Perry drove a full count pitch to center field in the seventh inning for the game winning RBI and three first-year pitchers held 24th-ranked Heidelberg University to less than eight runs for the first time in five games as Albion College gained a 5-4 victory in non-league baseball action at Champions Stadium.
Riley Stesiak led off the seventh by sending a fly ball that was dropped by the right fielder. Stesiak advanced to second on the play and he advanced to third on a sacrifice by Jordyn Finney. Stesiak scored on Perry's only hit of the day.
Albion never trailed in the game.
Stesiak hit a RBI single and he scored when Kellan Huang's fly ball was dropped in center field to boost the Britons to a 2-0 lead in the first.
Huang hit a RBI single and Perry lifted a sacrifice fly for a RBI as Albion tacked on two more runs in the third.
Heidelberg rallied in the fifth. It hit three consecutive singles to start the inning off Briton starting pitcher Drew Weaver. Weaver was able to get the fourth batter of the inning to strikeout, but he was chased from the game when Matt Psychas hit a RBI double. Colton Wiskur was summoned from the bullpen and extinguished the fire by retiring the next two batters.
Wiskur allowed an unearned run, one hit and a walk in his two innings of relief.
Bret Chesla (1-2) picked up his first victory at the collegiate level by pitching 2.2 scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and two walks while striking out three.
Eight batters in Albion's starting lineup had at least one hit.
Albion, 8-6 overall, is scheduled to begin a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association series against Alma College with a home doubleheader against Alma College at 1 o'clock on Saturday.
Twitter: @BritonsBaseball
Joe and Julie Serra have given a $5 million leadership gift to launch a fundraising initiative to make two dreams a reality at Albion College. The first is a newly expanded fitness and student activity facility at the site of the current Dow Recreation and Wellness Center. The second is a new or renovated competition facility for the volleyball, men's basketball and women's basketball that currently call Kresge Gymnasium home.
The College is continuing to raise funds in support of both projects. To learn more, call 517/629-0446 or email advancement@albion.edu.
