The reigning German champion Heidenheim Heidekoepfe brings back Martin Dewald for the upcoming season in the Baseball-Bundesliga. The member of the German national team already played for the club between 2002 and 2006. The past three years he was on the roster of the Mannheim Tornados.
The Heidekoepfe see Dewald primarily as a closer and another option for the outfield. However he also could get a chance to start. He is expected to arrive in Heidenheim in mid-May after the end of the college season in the US. The 24-year-old is a senior at Georgia College and State University, where he is majoring in Marketing. He transferred from Gordon College in Barnesville, Georgia two years ago.
Dewald has currently a 3-1 record with an ERA of 4.50 in four games (3 starts) for the Bobcats this year. He has struck out 24 batters in 22 innings, walking seven. In his Baseball-Bundesliga career he has an overall record of 18-4 with an ERA of 2.33 in 54 games (14 starts). He is batting .268 (OBP .380/SLG .327) in 150 games.
During last year’s playoffs Dewald went 7-0 with an ERA of 1.65 in seven appearances (six starts), leading the Tornados into the finals for a second straight time, where they lost in five games to the Heidekoepfe. He also was on the roster for the German national team in the 2009 Baseball World Cup.
Photo by Heidenheim Heidekoepfe