Springfield, OH – The Wittenberg University baseball team is off to their hottest start since 2012, as the Tigers took two games from the Alma College Scots. Wittenberg overcame an early 6-2 deficit in game one, getting the 8-7 comeback win to start the day. The Tigers kept the momentum rolling into game two, taking the final, 11-6 from the Scots. Wittenberg tallied 16 hits on the afternoon. Four Tigers collected multiple hits on the afternoon, including Gabe Stacy in the first game, followed by Patrick Kenny, Dylan Jackson, and Parker Gryskevich in game two. Going deep for his second time in two days, Jack Hollinshead smacked his third home run of the season in the first inning of game two.

Game One Breakdown

Wittenberg was the first to strike, plating their first runs in the first inning, taking advantage of the Alma error. A walk drawn by Kenny would bring home the second Tiger run of the inning. Wittenberg would have to overcome a six-run second inning by the Scots, starting with an RBI single by  Stacy to left field, bringing around Luke Thomas. Wittenberg took advantage of another Alma error on the Kenny sacrifice bunt, as he advanced all the way to third, while Jared Burick and Austin Morrow came around to score. A batter later, Ryan Probst executed the RBI bunt single to bring Kenny home and knot the game back up at 6-6. After Alma regained the lead in the eighth, Connor O'Malley drove in Gage Carpenter to bring the game back to even. Kenny would put Wittenberg back ahead with a single to right, bringing home Burick.

Michael Osmond got the start for the Tigers, before Tyler Defibaugh came in for five-plus innings of work, allowing five hits and striking out three. Nick Cunningham picked up the win for the Red and White, with two innings of work, striking out one with three hits allowed.

Game Two Breakdown

The Wittenberg offense exploded for eight runs in the first inning, ignited by a three-run homer from Hollinshead. A double down the line in left by Jackson scored two more Tiger runs. A single into left by Gryskevic added two more to the Tiger lead before he was able to come home on a wild pitch. The Wittenberg defense held off an Alma threat in the second and third innings before they were back on the attack adding to their lead with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Wittenberg capped the scoring in the bottom of the eighth, as Carpenter logged the sacrifice fly to bring in Chase Whisner. Rusty Hayhurst went 2.2 innings with five hits allowed, getting the start in game two. Matt Shanor came in to get the win with 1.2 innings of work, striking out one with two hits allowed. Beau Foster secured the save with 4.2 innings pitched, striking out two and allowing five hits.

UP NEXT

Wittenberg will get set to host Hiram on Sunday, March 21 for a two-game series at 2:00 pm.