GAMBIER, Ohio – A pair of slow starts were too much for the Wittenberg Tigers to overcome in a doubleheader sweep by the Kenyon Lords.

Normally North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) rivals, Wittenberg and Kenyon played the first two of a four-game weekend series, with the Lords picking up wins by scores of 7-4 and 7-3. The Tigers, who compete in the West Division, dropped to 12-10 overall, while the Lords, who compete in the East Division, improved to 16-8. The two teams will continue the series with a doubleheader on the Tigers' home field on Sunday.

In Game 1, Wittenberg fell behind 7-0 after the Lords scored five times in the fifth inning, and four runs over the final two innings weren't enough. Freshman Jordan Hitt (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) took the loss after allowing seven earned runs on nine hits in 4.1 innings. He was relieved by junior Edison Henry (San Diego, Calif./St. Augustine), who did not allow a run in 1.2 innings.

Offensively, sophomore Brandon Reaman (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont) and junior Tyler Hutchinson (Lebanon, Ohio/Cincinnati Moeller) each banged out two hits, while junior Brandon Jordan (Ithaca, NY/Ithaca) drove in a pair.

Game 2 featured two runs for Kenyon in the first inning and a game-breaking five-spot in the second frame. The Tigers countered with a run in the first and two in the second, but they were shut down from that point.

Reaman accounted two of the Tigers' runs batted in, with senior Grant Goodwin (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) knocking in the other run. Jordan, Goodwin and sophomore Zac Wilson (Eaton, Ohio/Eaton) each scored a run.

Junior Colby Clark (Miamisburg, Ohio/Miamisburg) made his first start in the Red & White, but he took the loss after allowing seven earned runs in 1.2 innings. Freshman Luke Black (St. Paris, Ohio/Graham) tossed 4.1 innings of scoreless relief.