Baseball survive showers, squash Spartans, then lose

On the one day last week where there was not a torrential downpour, the Oberlin Yeomen took full advantage of the opportunity to pick up a split in a doubleheader versus Case Western.

The Yeomen got rolling in the first inning of the first game. After RBI's by sophomore Mike Fradin and sophomore Sean Nagel, first-year Matt Burns hit a two run double to stake the Yeomen to a two run lead. The Spartans rallied for one in both the second and the third, but the Yeomen added to their lead with an RBI by sophomore Dave Schummers in the fourth.

Again, Case Western tied the game off of junior starter Raf Haciski. But in the top of the seventh, Fradin soared in from third base to give the Yeomen the lead. At that point, Coach Todd Mooney turned to Burns to come in and close it out, despite the fact that Burns had not even warmed up. But the big righty was up to the challenge, and he got the first save of the year for the Yeomen, as they won 6-5.

The effort was again bolstered by a strong pitching performance by Haciski. He had gone eight-plus innings in a loss to Heidelberg College last week and in six innings on Sunday, he gave up only three earned runs on nine hits. "He just did the things you have to do to get out of trouble." said Assistant Coach Eric Lahetta. "He pitched a very solid six innings." The Yeomen went to Case confident that they could pick up a win, and the Spartan gloves were indulgent of this cause, as they made four errors to keep the Yeomen on the bases. Though none of the CWRU runs were unearned the errors were costly. "It was nice to see that it wasn't us doing it, it was them," said Lahetta.

The Yeomen lost the second game 5-0, spoiling a complete game by Burns. Indeed, the Yeomen only got two hits, and never threatened the Spartans. Lahetta says that it has been tough for the team to follow up their victories. "We've had problems all year after we win the first game," he said. "We tend to relax and our emotions aren't really into the second game."

The games against Hiram College and Baldwin-Wallace College were rained out, and for senior outfielder Kwang Kim, that was "kind of bittersweet. Having no official last game leaves me without a sense of closure." Kim, a four year starter, had no regrets for a final season that saw him bat .210 with 11 runs batted in. He accomplished his goal of being a four year varsity player and matured as a person.

"I learned about loyalty for my teamates. That is what really counts, not wins or losses." He was encouraged by the teams' play this season. "The main factor was that we got better. Our errors went down, our batting average went up. We showed signs of growth." Lahetta had much the same sentiments. This team loses only 2 players and returns its biggest offensive weapons. First-baseman junior Brendan Cody batted .390, Fradin hit two home runs, and drove in 22, and Schummers scored 13 runs hitting in front of those two. Pitching returns as well, as Burns will be a sophomore, and Carson Keeble and Jason Quinn both have seasons remaining.

The win over Case, as well as the other conference win over Denison "helps out a whole deal," says Lahetta. "Everybody improved a great deal this year. It just doesn't show in the win column."

So the Yeomen finish with a 3-30 record, 2-14 in the NCAC, only a half-game out of eighth place. Yet this was a team that wanted to play even more. Though Eric Lahetta is no pessimist, there is an air of resignation to a higher power in his thoughts. This team got rained out 7 times, all after spring break, and not finishing the season was a disappointment.

"It was just kind of typical of the whole year. We got rained out on a sunny day." Well, coach, maybe next year the weather will be kinder to you.