Yeomen Split a Doubleheader in Spring Debut

The men's baseball team began the season on a winning note Wednesday with a 4-2 victory in the first game of a double-header against Thiel College. The Yeomen fell flat in the second game, though, losing 9-2. Although the offense was lackluster and the defense spotty, the Yeomen came away with the split, thanks in large part to the pitching of senior Matt Burns and the offensive heroics of first-year center fielder Zach Pretzer.

Swingin' For the Fences: The Yeomen captured a 4-2 victory in their season debut against Thiel College. Senior Matt Burns tossed a three-hitter in the win. (photo by Alyssa Tomasi)

Burns tossed a complete game three-hitter, earning the victory in the opening game. He allowed two runs, both unearned, while striking out five and walking four. "He's a bulldog," said Head Coach Eric Lahetta. "He just goes out and gets the job done."

Thiel drew first blood, when a first inning double by the Tomcats' Jim Chester drove in a runner who had reached on a dropped fly ball. The Yeomen did not trail for long, however. With one out in the bottom of the second, sophomore left fielder Ross Golowicz was hit by a pitch. Sophomore first baseman Bob Montag followed with a single, advancing Golowicz to second. After sophomore right fielder Mark Sackman flied out to left, Pretzer stepped up to the plate for his first college at-bat. With scarcely a moment to savor his time in the batter's box, the first-year yanked the first pitch he saw over the right field fence. There was a brief moment of suspense, as the ball almost hooked into foul territory. When the umpire signaled fair ball, the sparse but enthusiastic crowd rose to its feet in appreciation, and Pretzer's teammates cleared out of the dugout to congratulate him as he crossed home plate.

"He's going to be a solid player for us," Lahetta said of Pretzer. "As long as he doesn't expect to hit home runs all the time, he's going to be a good player."

Pretzer's three RBIs proved to be the difference in the game, as both teams struggled offensively for the last five innings. The Yeomen tacked on another run in the fourth, when junior second baseman Chris Irish sacrificed Montag home from third on a deep fly ball to right. The Tomcats scored again in the fifth on an RBI groundout.

The top of the seventh, which is the last inning in collegiate doubleheader games, provided a few uneasy moments for the home team. The Tomcats brought the go-ahead run to the plate with two out, but Burns finished the game strong to secure the victory.

The Yeomen were frustrated in their attempt to sweep the twin bill. Poor defense and inconsistent pitching put the second game out of reach for the offense, which failed to capitalize on its opportunities. Junior Eben Askins pitched 3 1/3 innings and gave up four runs for the loss.

"I was pretty erratic," said Askins. "The second game represented the kind of 'Oberlin baseball' that we want to forget. It seemed like everything was just out of reach."

The offense struggled too, collecting only two hits for the game. The Yeomen scored their first run in the third. Then, in the sixth, they put men in scoring position with only one out but scored only one run.

Defensively, the Yeomen suffered from some costly lapses, which Lahetta attributed to a lack of focus. "Our guys just need to concentrate harder," he said.

At the end of the day, the Yeomen counted their blessings. "We didn't play that well," said Lahetta. "For us to not play that well and actually come away with a split, that says a lot about where we are as a team right now."

The Tomcats are fairly representative of opponents the Yeomen will face in non-conference play, but they do not measure up against the tougher teams in the NCAC. The Yeomen will have to raise their level of play if they are to compete in the conference. Before Wednesday's doubleheader, Thiel had already played 10 games this season, whereas Oberlin had yet to compete outside of intra-squad scrimmages. As the team sheds its early-season rust, the Yeomen expect to perform better in all respects.

"I definitely think we can score more runs," said Irish. "We don't have the killer instinct, but that's something that will come with time."

"I think once we play a few more games and get some more experience under our belt, we'll be a lot more consistent," said Lahetta. "We just have to refine some things. Our pitchers have to throw more strikes, and they have to be around the plate more often." Lahetta believes his team will be better prepared for Saturday's doubleheader versus Penn. State-Behrend, home at 1 p.m. "We're ready to play ball games," said Lahetta. "Getting these first two games out of the way, we're going to be that much more ready for the games this weekend."