Tigers Sweep Oberlin in NCAC Doubleheader

OBERLIN, OH – Looking to get one step closer to postseason play, Wittenberg Baseball registered its fifth sweep of the season against a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) opponent.

This time, the victim was Oberlin on the road at Dill Field on Wednesday, April 30. The Tigers posted a 14-6 win in game one in nine innings, then a 14-4 rout in game two in seven innings to push their record to 27-9 on the season and 11-3 in the NCAC. The Yeomen fall to 12-23 and 3-11 NCAC on the season.

In game one, eight players drove in runs for Wittenberg and six players tallied a stolen base. First baseman Xander Rodriguez (Salinas, PR / Franklin County) had a big day at the plate going 5-for-6 with a double and three runs batted in. He also scored three runs. Tommy Chilicki (Lewis Center, OH / Olentangy), Thatcher Dietz (Westerville, OH / Westerville South), and Rocco Royer (Lake Bluff, IL / Lake Forest) each drove in two runs and scored one as well. Alex Nemunaitis (Perrysburg, OH / Ottawa Hills) went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI, and scored three runs.

Getting the win on the mound for the Tigers was Tommy Anthony (Toronto, Ontario / Humberside Collegiate Institute), now 3-2 on the season. He gave up six runs, five earned, on eight hits while striking out one in five innings of work.

Wittenberg scored its 14 runs on 19 hits and had one error while Oberlin scored six runs on nine hits and committed three errors.

In game two, the Tigers got the bats out early, scoring five in the first and four in the second to take a 9-0 lead after two were in the books. They put two more on the board in the third and one each in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to post the win. Oberlin scored all four of its runs in the third inning. Wittenberg had 19 hits with one error in the game, while Oberlin tallied 11 hits and one miscue.

Seven different players drove in runs and scored for the Tigers in the big win. Quintin Applegate (Delaware, OH / Olentangy Berlin) led the onslaught going 3-for-5 with four RBIs and one run scored. Nemunaitis and Parker Gryskevich (Brownsburg, IN / Brownsburg) each scored three runs. Nemunaitis went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Gryskevich went 1-for-1 with an RBI, drawing two walks in the game. Applegate and Nemunaitis each stole two bases.

Luke Thomas (Tallmadge, OH / Tallmadge) went 3-for-6 with a double and scored two runs. Chilicki also had another big game at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Rodriguez continued his hot hitting, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Dietz was 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored.

Charlie Schafer (Beavercreek, OH / Beavercreek) picked up his fifth win of the season by going two innings and allowing three hits while striking out two. Wittenberg pitchers allowed four runs, only two were earned, and struck out five while walking three in game two.

Next up, the Tigers will host Muskingum in a non-conference game on Thursday, May 1, beginning at 5 p.m. before traveling to Denison to take on the No. 5 Big Red in the final regular-season games of the season on Saturday, May 3. Doubleheader times are noon and 3 p.m.

Firmly in the top four of the NCAC standings, Wittenberg and Wooster are in a tie for second with matching records of 11-3. Denison leads the conference with a record of 12-1.

Written By: Cindy Holbrook