Tigers Rally For Day Two Split At DePauw

GREENCASTLE, Ind. – The Wittenberg baseball team rallied for a split with DePauw on day two of a four-game series with the other Tigers of the North Coast Athletic Conference, getting a victory in extra innings.

The Tigers moved to 10-25 overall and 3-13 in the West Division of the NCAC, dropping a 9-2 decision in game one before winning a 2-1 game in 11 innings in the closing contest.

DePauw took the series 3-1 following a sweep of Wittenberg on Saturday. In Sunday's first game, the visiting Tigers scored a run in the first inning but DePauw posted two runs in the bottom half of the frame, pushed four across in the second, and scored two more in the third. Wittenberg managed a single run in the sixth, but it was answered by one run from DePauw in the next half inning.

Wittenberg's first inning run scored as junior Zac Wilson (Eaton, Ohio/Eaton) crossed the plate on a double-play ball from senior Tyler Hutchinson (Lebanon, Ohio/Cincinnati Moeller). Hutchinson did not pick up an RBI in that instance, but did later in the sixth inning when he singled in Wilson on a ball to right field.

Freshman Tyler Powell (Urbana, Ohio/Urbana) took the loss for the Tigers in red, allowing eight runs though only three were earned, on seven hits against two strikeouts in four innings of work. Freshman Keith Orzen (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Chagrin Falls) and senior Tyler Grau (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller) saw relief action on the mound.

In game two, Wittenberg grabbed a 1-0 lead with a sixth-inning RBI single by senior David Moore (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe) that scored freshman Trent Champlin (Gahanna, Ohio/Lincoln). DePauw made it a game with a run in the eighth, sending the game to extra innings when neither scored in the ninth.

Wittenberg staved off defeat in the 10th as a DePauw runner reached third, but junior relief pitcher Mike Burgher (Birmingham, Mich./Seaholm) buckled down to induce a groundout and escape unscathed.

In the top of the 11^th, sophomore Will Cousins (Medfield, Mass./Medfield) made his way on-board on an error and went to second as Grau drew a walk. Pinch-hitting junior Aaron Patrick (Eldorado, Ohio/Tri-County North) accepted the invitation and singled to right field to score Cousins and take the lead. Burgher got the win by earning three straight groundouts in the bottom of the 11^th.

Moore finished game two with a 2-for-4 line with a walk and an RBI. Freshman Dalton Boucher (Granville, Ohio/Granville) went 1-for-3 with two walks, Patrick made his pinch-hit appearance count with the game-winning RBI, and freshman Ben Dobrowolski (Milford, Ohio/Milford) was also 1-for-1 in a pinch-hit appearance.

On the mound, freshman Jon Ellerbrock (Tipp City, Ohio/Bethel) started the late game and gave the Tigers four innings of scoreless two-hit, five strikeout, two-walk work.  Sophomore Jordan Hitt (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) threw five innings, allowing four hits and one run with one walk and three strikeouts. Burgher collected the victory on two innings, one hit and one walk.

The Tigers wrap up the non-conference schedule with a pair of midweek games this week, starting on Tuesday, April 29, in a 4 p.m. contest at Heidelberg, followed by a 6 p.m. game against Wilmington at home on Wednesday, April 30.

John Strawn '07