BEREA, OHIO -- Sophomore quarterback Ryan O'Rourke (Avon) and junior running back Tim Miker (Parma/ Senior) each combined for 198 yards rushing as the Baldwin-Wallace College football team defeated Ohio Athletic Conference rival Heidelberg University, 35-20, today (Saturday, September 18, 2010) at Mayer Field in Tiffin to improve to a perfect 3-0 this season.
O'Rourke, who transferred to B-W from NCAA Division II Slippery Rock (Pa.) University, ran for a career-high 119 yards in 10 attempts and completed three-of-12 passes for 40 yards and a TD. Miker ran for 87 yards in 24 attempts with two TD. Overall, B-W ran for 285 yards in 57 attempts compared to 114 for Heidelberg in 35 carries. Fans and Media are reminded that they can watch the Yellow Jacket victory over the Student Princes tonight on SportsTime Ohio at 11:00 p.m. and again on Thursday, Sept. 23 at both 5:00 a.m. and 12 noon.
The Yellow Jackets led 14-0 after one quarter, 21-0 at halftime and 28-7 after three stanzas. With its loss, the Student Princes fell to 1-1 overall.
The Yellow Jackets opened the scoring at the 7:11 mark of the first quarter when Miker tallied on a one-yard run to cap a 12-play and 44-yard drive that began following a short, 16-yard Student Prince punt on its frst offensive possession. When senior placekicker Brad Pollock (Brecksville/ Brecksville-Broadview Heights), this week's OAC Special Teams Player of the Week, kicked the point-after-touchdown, B-W led 7-0. On the drive, the Yellow Jackets converted two fourth-down situations into first downs.
B-W increased its lead to 14-0 with 49 seconds left in the opening quarter when its defense created a turnover. On a first-and-10 play, Heidelberg senior quarterback Andrew Miller was dropped for nine yard loss by junior defensive end Sonny Hazelwood (Elyria/ Senior), fumbled the ball at the 25 yard line, and Yellow Jacket senior All-OAC linebacker Ryan Kish (Amherst/ Steele) picked up the loose ball and ran 23 yards for a TD. Pollock's PAT kick then made the score 14-0 in favor of B-W.
In the second quarter, B-W extended its advantge to 21-0 with 1:18 left before halftime when O'Rourke threw a 33-yard TD pass to sophomore wide receiver Aaron Manders (Toledo/ Cardinal Stritch). The TD grad was Manders second this season and the fourth thrown by O'Rourke. Pollock's PAT kick then capped a seven-play and 71-yard drive in 3:00.
In the third quarter, B-W increased its advantage to 28-0 when it scored on its first possession, a six-play and 55-yard drive in 2:29 when Miker scored on his second one-yard run of the day and Pollock added his fourth straight PAT boot. O'Rourke opened the drive with an 18-yard run and then Miker carried the ball of five consecutive plays, including a 24-yard run to the Student Prince two yard line on his third attempt.
Then the Student Princes began their comeback. First, freshman RB Germany Woods scored on an 11-yard run with 3:15 to play in the third stanza to cap a seven-play and 57-yard drive in 3:01 and senior PK Jesse Hawkins added the PAT kick to make the score 28-7. Following a B-W punt, Heidelberg then closed to 28-14 when it went 64 yards in nine plays with Miller scoring on a one-yard run and Hawkins adding the PAT at the 13:37 mark of the fourth quarter.
Undaunted, BW then travelled 83 yards in 11 plays and covering 5:43 to regain a 21-point bulge at 35-14 when sophomore QB Andrew Dziak (Garfield Hts./ Maple Hts.) scored on a five-yard run and Pollock added the PAT kick.
But Heidelberg came right back to close to 35-20 with 6:32 remaining when Miller threw a 16-yard TD pass to senior WR MIke Preston, but Hawkins kick failed. The play capped a four-play and 37-yard drive in 1:03 that was highlighted by a 38-yard kick return by Woods and a 22-yard run by Miller on the first play of the drive.
B-W was led offensively by O'Rourke and Miker. On defense, Hazelwood led the Yellow Jackets with six tackles, including 1.5 for loss and caused the fumble that led to B-W's second TD. In addition, senior DE Keith Darbut (Miami, Fla./ Palmetto Senior) had two QB sacks and junior safety Corey Hildreth (Massillon/ Washington) and senior defensive back Ryan Wallace (Uniontown/Lake) each had an interceptions that stopped Heidelberg scoring opportunities.
Heidelberg was led on offense by Miller, Preston and Woods. Miller completed 13-of-26 passes for 171 yards and a TD, but threw the two interceptions. He also ran for 18 yards in 13 attempts, but was sacked five times and lost the critical fumble in the first quarter that Kish picked up and ran in for B-W's second TD. Preston led all receivers and caught 11 passes for 125 yards and a TD. Sophomore Brad Jones led the Berg running game with 48 yards in 11 attempts. The Heidelberg defense was led by sophomore LB Craig Sykes with 6.5 tackles, including a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss.
The Yellow Jackets are now idle until Saturday, October 2 when they host OAC rival Marietta College on Tressel Field in The George Finnie Stadium in Berea at 1:30 p.m. on 'Think Pink'/ Breast Cancer Awareness Day. B-W also is at home for its Homecoming Game versus nationally-ranked Otterbein University on Saturday, October 9 at 2:00 p.m. Both the Marietta and Otterbein games will be taped and televised by STO. To view all previous televised BW football, soccer, basketball and wrestling broadcasts, please visit the B-W web site at www.bw.edu/athletics/video/.
FOR MORE BW Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information atwww.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.
