Kenyon Roughs Up OC Pitching in Doubleheader
BY COLIN SMITH

The Oberlin baseball team was outscored 46-15 in a three-game series at Kenyon on April 7 and 8, losing all three. The losses to division rival Kenyon drop their record to 2-19 and leave them in last place in the NCAC East. Oberlin is now 0-6 in division play; Kenyon is 3-0.
Head Coach Eric Lahetta described the series as a rough one. “Kenyon just had the hitting shoes this weekend.” 
In the first game on Saturday, the Yeomen took the lead 1-0 in the top off the first. Senior Chris Irish led of the inning with a double, advanced to third on an error and scored on a wild pitch. Oberlin’s offense was silent after that, however, managing just four hits over the remaining six innings, without scoring a run.
“We didn’t hit the ball really well,” first-year B. J. Belville, one for seven with two RBI in the series, said. “They hit the ball really well. They outplayed us.”
Kenyon took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the first and didn’t let up, scoring 16 runs in the first five innings to win the game 16-1. 
“That game was kind of a symbol of our season,” first-year starter Troy DeWitt said. DeWitt gave up 11 earned runs on 10 hits in four innings. “I haven’t really pitched up to what I can do,” he said of his performance this season.
In Saturday’s second game, Kenyon jumped ahead early, scoring 10 runs in the first two innings. They would go on to add five more. The Yeomen attempted a comeback in the last two innings. In the sixth they scored four on sophomore Zach Pretzer’s two-run single and junior Bob Montag’s two-run homer. They added three more in the ninth on single by DeWitt and a fielder’s choice, but Kenyon took the game 15-9.
Kenyon went ahead early again in Sunday’s game, scoring 15 runs in five innings off first-year starter John Damron. First-years Brook Whitmore and Robert Smith held Kenyon to just two hits after that, but the Yeomen scored just five runs, losing by a final of 15-5.
“They’re going to grow from just being out there,” Lahetta said of the pounding the pitching staff took in the series. “We’re building for the future, putting guys into roles they can grow into.”
Irish and Pretzer continue to lead the team offensively. Irish drew five walks in the series, bringing his season total to 25, an OC baseball record. He also leads the team with 19 runs scored and a .540 OBP.
“He’s definitely doing a good job,” DeWitt said of Irish. “He’s been consistent wherever they’ve put him.”
Pretzer raised his team-leading average to .377 with four hits in the series. He has also scored 15 runs and stolen 12 bases. Damron broke the .300 mark with a pinch-hit single in Saturday’s second game, raising his average to .306. DeWitt and first-year Chris Bamat had four RBI and two RBI, respectively, in the series to tie for the team lead at 12.
“The offense came around a little bit,” Lahetta said. “The defense improved a little, but we still have a ways to go.”
The Yeomen will play three games against Hiram, another division rival, at home on Friday, April 13, and Saturday, April 14. Hiram is 12-10 on the season, but only 1-4 in divisional play.
[Hiram is] also a young team,” Lahetta said, “[but] they’re always a well-coached team.” Hiram finished 27-15 last year.
“We’ll just try to play and see what happens,” DeWitt said.