Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 l Complete Series Stats (Four Games) (PDF)
Wooster, Ohio – Oberlin and Wooster played 21 innings on Saturday afternoon as the Yeomen outlasted the Scots, 3-1, in 14 innings in game one, before dropping a 2-1 pitcher's duel in the nightcap.
In a game that could be classified as one of the greatest in Yeomen baseball history, junior Mike McDonald pitched eight innings of scoreless relief as he fanned a career-high 10 Wooster hitters, while walking just one over 109 pitches - 79 of which were strikes. He improved to 4-2 with the win.
McDonald entered in the sixth after rookie hurler Harrison Wollman was nearly as impressive as he scattered nine hits and allowed just the one run. He walked one and struck out three in the no-decision.
Oberlin led 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth where the Scots where finally able to even the score at 1-1. It would remain the that way until the top of the 14th as Scots' pitcher Steve Hagen was simply sensational as he had the Yeomen hitters baffled for most of the game. He pitched all 14 innings, allowing just five hits and one walk, while recording nine strikeouts. The junior from Brecksville, Ohio, threw 132 pitches – 89 for strikes.
Hagen sat down 12 Yeomen in a row between the eighth and 11th innings. The Yeomen would threaten in the 12th, but two base-running mistakes short-circuited the inning. He would again retire the Yeomen in order in the 13th, but Oberlin finally was able to break through in the top of the 14th.
Junior Sean Cohen led off the inning with a single to center field and was advanced to second on a sac bunt by Blaise Dolcemaschio. Senior Robin Witjes would then come through with a clutch single back up the middle to score Cohen for the go-ahead run. Later in the inning, sophomore Ryan Bliss would tack on an insurance run with his second RBI of the game as he sent Witjes home on a two-out single to right field.
Despite the two-run deficit the Scots would not go quietly in the bottom of the 14th. Back-to-back singles to start the inning brought the potential game-winning run to the plate with nobody out. McDonald was able to get a punch-out, but another single followed to load the bases. However, McDonald then induced Craig Day to hit into a game-ending 4-3 double play to give Oberlin the win.
The victory marked the Yeomen's first win against Wooster since April 6, 2008 and is just their second win against the Scots since 1986. However, it almost didn't happen.
In the bottom of the sixth with a the tying run already across, Bryan Miller lifted a fly ball in foul ground down the right field line which was caught by Andrew Hutson who then gunned down Cal Thomay at the plate to end the inning as he tried to tag up and score from third base on the play.
Oberlin scored the first run of the game with two-outs in the top of the third inning. Mitch Novak had a single through the right side and would then score on a double down the right field line by Bliss. They were the only two hits the Yeomen would have until the 14th inning.
The Scots out-hit Oberlin 16-5 in the game, but they stranded 16 runners along the way. Day and Miller combined to leave 12 on the bases for Wooster.
Game two also ended up being quite the pitcher's duel as Oberlin senior Eric Knight and Wooster's Kyle Koski battled for seven innings. Unfortunately, for Knight and the Yeomen faithful - he finished on the wrong side of the ledger.
Knight went the distance, allowing seven hits and just two earned runs. He walked two and fanned three as he was once again a tough-luck loser as run support has not be been on his side this year and for most of his four-year career for that matter as he fell to 1-4 on the season.
Koski was a pinch better as he surrendered just four hits and one unearned run to improve to 5-2. He struck out seven in the win and walked none.
Wooster pushed one across in the second and manufactured another tally in the fourth as Thomay led off the inning with walk and would come around to score.
Oberlin would use a hit by Witjes and a Wooster error to cut the deficit in half with a single run of its own in the fifth, but Koski would retire the Yeomen in order in both the sixth and seventh to give the Scots the win.
Jeff Sweighoffer went 2-for-3 in the game, while Hutson would add the only other Yeomen hit.
With the split today Oberlin now sits at 15-17 overall and 7-7 in the NCAC East. The Scots are now 22-8 and still lead the NCAC East at 10-2.
The Yeomen have two conference games remaining against Hiram College on Tuesday afternoon. First pitch of the twinbill is set for 12 p.m.