Springfield, Ohio – The Wittenberg University baseball team split their North Coast Athletic Conference opener with the Big Red of Denison University on Saturday afternoon. After the Tiger's battled with the Big Red in game one to a 15-11 final. Wittenberg would come back to take game two with an exciting walk off 7-6 win in the 10th inning. The Wittenberg offense recorded 16 hits in game one against the Big Red, before adding 11 more in the second game.
GAME ONE
The two sides remained scoreless through the first three innings of action, before the Big Red put the first five runs on the board, starting with one in the fourth and four in the fifth. A Wittenberg rally in the fifth inning would plate five runs. Starting with a Matt Baker double to left center to bring in David Hamrick. Ryan Probst would follow up with a single to the left side to bring in Gage Carpenter. A two-RBI Tim Bates single up the middle would plate the next two Tiger runs, scoring Probst and Baker. As the Tiger's would bat around in the fifth, Hamrick would draw the RBI walk to drive Bates home for the final Wittenberg run of the fifth inning. Wittenberg would add another run in the sixth inning to take their first lead of the game on a Patrick Kenny single through the right side. An eight-run Denison seventh inning would put the Big Red back on top. The Tiger's would have another big offensive inning in them, adding five more runs in the seventh. Jeremy McAleese would come across for the first Wittenberg run of the rally, scoring on the Denison wild pitch. Baker would add an RBI single in the inning to plate Carpenter. Kenny would do the final damage in game one for the, sending a three-run homer over the fence to bring in Probst and Baker. Jace Barga took the hill to start game one, tossing five innings with seven hits, one earned run and five strikeouts.
GAME TWO
Denison would jump out to an early 1-0 lead after the top of the second inning. The next three innings would remain scoreless for both sides before Wittenberg would step-up to score three in the bottom of the sixth inning. Starting with a Kenny single to center field, pushing Probst to third and scoring on the Denison error. Bates would clear the bases with a two-run long ball, giving Wittenberg the 3-1 advantage. With the two sides keeping each other off of the board going into the ninth, Denison would take a 4-3 in the top half of the inning with three runs scored. The Tiger's would keep the game going with one run in the bottom half of the inning. After a Jack Hollinshead double to right and Carpenter on to pinch run. Chase Carpenter singled through the right side to score the tying Wittenberg run, sending the game into extra innings. With Denison posting two runs in the top of the tenth inning. Jack Siefert cleared the bases with a walk-off three-run homer in the bottom half of the tenth inning.
UP NEXT: Wittenberg will take their first NCAC road trip of the season, traveling to Wabash for a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 4. The first pitch is slated for 1:00 PM.