GAMBIER/SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers tuned up for what promises to be an exciting stretch run to the 2007 season with a strong performance against North Coast Athletic Conference rival Kenyon. After sweeping a pair at Kenyon on Saturday by scores of 12-11 and 12-3, the Tigers and Lords split a pair at Wittenberg on Sunday by scores of 4-3 in favor of Kenyon and 15-10 in favor of Wittenberg.
The games, considered non-conference because the two teams compete in opposite divisions within the conference, left Wittenberg with an 18-13 overall record. With an 8-4 mark in the NCAC West Division, the Tigers have two nine-inning non-conference games scheduled for this week before make-up doubleheaders against Ohio Wesleyan on Saturday and Denison on Sunday. Both of those teams are currently ahead of Wittenberg in the standings - but first place actually remains within the Tigers' reach.
With the way Wittenberg's offense is clicking, the Tigers have to like their chances. In four games against Kenyon, the Tigers pounded out 48 hits en route to 42 runs. Only a lack of clutch hitting in Game 3 - a 4-3 loss in Sunday's opener in Springfield - broke an eight-game win streak for the Tigers. In that game, Wittenberg stranded 11 runners.
On Saturday, the Tigers rallied from an early 5-0 deficit and an 11-8 hole through six innings. Taking advantage of two Kenyon errors that would have ended the game in the seventh, Wittenberg pushed three unearned runs across on RBI hits by sophomore Jacob Michael (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) and senior Andrew Wellman (Huntington, W.Va./Huntington). The eighth inning offered plenty more drama as junior Joey Spano (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe) knocked in what turned out to be the winning run with a single, but then sophomore Josh Fiebiger (Fletcher, Ohio/Miami East) had to wriggle out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the inning to secure the win.
Saturday's nightcap was a relative cakewalk as the Tigers scored runs in five of the first six innings to come through with a 12-3 win. Sophomore Patrick Williams (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield) went 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBI, while juniorMatt Steinke (Wapakoneta, Ohio/St. Mary's Memorial) added a home run in a 2-for-3, three RBI performance.
On Sunday, three of Wittenberg's five hits came off Williams' bat, but the Tigers were unable to take advantage of seven walks and two hit batsmen in the game. All that spoiled a solid complete-game pitching performance from senior Tyler McClain (Springfield, Ohio/North).
Once again, the second game of the doubleheader was a completely different story. This time, the Tigers scored nine runs in the first inning before recording an out and cruised out to a 15-3 lead through six innings. Then three Wittenberg errors in the bottom of the seventh inning made for some tense moments before sophomore Chris Green (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle) recorded the final out.
Ten different players scored at least one run in the game, while nine different players had at least one hit. Junior Joel Puthoff (Houston, Ohio/Russia) led the way with a homer and four RBI, while junior Jeremey Fruhwirth (Beavercreek, Ohio/Beavercreek) added 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored in his first game back from injury.