Ben Heller ’13 pitched two no-hit innings picking up the win in the 16-inning game for the New York Yankees over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, July 15, 2017. A Tiger baseball alumnus, he was pitching his second game of the season for the team. His Major League Baseball career has been a wild ride, but the ups and downs haven’t deterred him.
“Ben was recalled just before the All-Star break in early July, and he got his first chance to pitch for the Yankees again in one of the toughest environments in all of sports,” says Tiger baseball’s Head Coach Todd Reid, who coached Ben when he played for Olivet. “One mistake could mean game over!”
Coach Reid commented on Ben’s composure during those two innings: “He looked like he’d been up all season. He went through the heart of their lineup and didn’t back down. What a moment, as some of the Yankee faithful called it their most important win of the season.”
Ben’s composure continued the day after that important game. Up against the Red Sox again and having used their entire bull pen in the marathon win, the Yankees needed to bring up new pitchers. Ben was unable to pitch again on Sunday and was sent back down to the Triple AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
When Coach Reid talked with Ben that day, Ben told him: “Coach, it’s just the business of baseball. I’ll be back up soon.”
Ben Zobrist ‘04 continues his consistent success with the Chicago Cubs. In his July 14 appearance, he hit a two-run homer to help his team to a 9-8 win. He continues to show his versatility and value to the team following the history-making 2016 World Series victory and his being named World Series MVP. To date in the 2017 season, he has racked up eight home runs and 26 RBIs with a .219 batting average as he continues his 11-year MLB career.
Keep your eyes on Josh Altmann ‘16 as he continues his progress with the Texas Rangers in MLB’s Minor League Baseball. Currently with the Down East Wood Ducks, he has 8 homeruns and 26 RBIs with a .231 batting average. He made his first All-Star roster appearance in the 2017 Carolina League All-Star Classic.
For more information about the Tiger athletics program, contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@olivet.edu or 800-648-1463.
