Oberlin Nine String Together Some Wins

The Yeomen are still looking for their first conference victory of the season after dropping three road games to the Hiram College Terriers this weekend. On Wednesday the Yeomen split a doubleheader versus the Grove City College RedHawks, improving their record to 6-24 overall, 0-9 NCAC. Heading into the final week of the season with four games left on their schedule, the Yeomen need one more victory to improve upon last year's mark of 6-28.

The Yeomen's week began with a 17-1 blowout loss at the hands of the Terriers on Saturday afternoon. First-year starter Zach Pretzer gave up seven runs (four earned) in four innings of work, but the game did not get really out of hand until the fifth, when the Terriers exploded for 10 runs (six earned) off sophomore Greg Wells. Terrier starter Jason Tangi, who leads the NCAC in strikeouts per inning, pitched a shutout until the sixth, when sophomore Bob Montag singled home junior Chris Irish for the Yeomen's lone run of the game.

The second game was more competitive, but the Yeomen offense could not muster enough run support for senior co-captain Matt Burns, who allowed five runs (three earned) and pitched a complete game in a losing effort. Burns gave up four hits, struck out five and walked six over six innings. The offense, meanwhile, struggled to solve Hiram starter Kurt Kaufman, also among the conference leaders in strikeouts. Kaufman allowed only four hits and struck out nine Yeomen en route to a complete game shutout.

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Sa-wingg Batta!!! A Grove City batter is badly fooled by this outside pitch. The Yeomen took the first game 5-4, but fell in the second 11-0. (photo by Andrea Kamins)

On Sunday the two teams played a full nine inning contest, and the Yeomen had their best chance to bring home a victory. Senior Ray Cagan started for Oberlin and took an 8-6 lead into the bottom of the seventh. Hiram's batters hit Cagan hard and Burns was called in to douse the flames. The Terriers did not relent, however, and before the inning was over they had taken a 12-8 lead. Hiram tacked on five more runs in the eighth for a final score of 17-8.

Burns took the mound again on Wednesday against Grove City. Burns cruised through the first six innings, scattering five hits and allowing one run. This time the Yeomen bats provided just enough juice to power the team to a 5-4 victory. The Wolverines, who entered the game with 13 wins against 16 losses, had the best record of any opponent the Yeomen have beaten this season.

After falling behind 1-0 in the first, the Yeomen took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second. Montag drove in sophomore Ross Golowicz for the first run, and junior Sean Nagle delivered a clutch two-out single to drive Montag home for the second.

In the third, Pretzer led off with a walk and promptly stole second base, the first of his four swipes in the game. Junior Andy Smith, who leads the team in batting average and RBIs, singled up the middle, driving in Pretzer and extending Oberlin's lead to two runs. The Yeomen then loaded the bases with nobody out, but one pop-up and two strikeouts later the score was still 3-1.

The last Oberlin rally came in the sixth. Golowicz and Montag each singled and junior Anthony Gilbert drew a walk to load the bases. After Nagle hit a pop-up to third base for the second out, junior Eben Askins stroked a soft line drive to shallow center field, scoring Golowicz and Montag. As it turned out, Askins' two RBIs were the difference in the game.

Burns gave up three runs in the seventh (two earned), and for a moment it seemed as though the Yeomen would be forced to bat in their half of the inning. With the score at 5-4 and the tying run on second, Burns induced the RedHawks clean-up batter to ground out to second base, and the game was over. Burns finished with yet another complete game and the victory, his fourth of the season.

The Yeomen had the chance to snag their first doubleheader sweep of the season, but the offense came out flat in the second game. Grove City's J.G. Louden held Oberlin hitless the entire game, which the Wolverines won 11-0. In spite of Louden's apparent mastery, the Yeomen were not all that impressed by his stuff. "He couldn't throw his curveball well until the fourth or fifth inning," said Askins. "We didn't have patience. We let the pitcher get into our head."

"It seems like the tone is set early," said Irish of the Yeomen's inconsistent offense. "If we get some hits early, our confidence builds. Sometimes we just give up too soon."

Oberlin faces conference rival Kenyon College this weekend in a three game series at Dill Field. Last year the Yeomen swept the Lords, but Oberlin won't be taking Kenyon too lightly. "It's not going to be easy," said Irish. "It's going to be a battle. This should be a fun weekend." Saturday's doubleheader starts at 1 p.m. and Sunday's game gets underway at 3 p.m.