Game One Box l Game Two Box

Oberlin, Ohio – The Oberlin College baseball team pounded out a season-high 17 hits in game one, but needed late-inning heroics in game two to defeat Hiram College 15-2 and 4-3 in what is likely the final home games for Oberlin's seven seniors.

In the lid-lifter senior Max Phinney paced the Yeomen by going 3-for-3 with a home run, four RBI's and three runs scored. Classmate Ben Kauder was a long ball away from the cycle as he went 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored.

The Yeomen recorded at least one run in all six of their at-bats, but they left no doubt on who was going to win game one by posting a six-run third inning with all of the damage coming with two outs. The big hit of the inning came courtesy of Brandon Cantrill as he belted a two-run home run over the wall in left for his second round-tripper of the season.

Oberlin would add six more runs over the next three innings, leaving the Terriers no chance for a comeback.

Senior Grady Campion (3-3) got the win as he worked four innings and allowed just two hits and one run. He walked three and struck out two. Rookie Sam Sharpe made his first appearance of the season and gave up one run on two hits over two innings of work.

Game two was a drastically different ball game. With the Yeomen leading 1-0 going into the top of the seventh thanks to a Ben Puterbaugh RBI double back in the first, Junior Jason James was one out away from a no-hitter until Ian Sewolich broke it up with an infield single. Following a walk, Head Coach Adrian Abrahamowicz elected to bring in closer Phil Brua to record the final out, but things didn't go as planned as Doug Adkins welcomed Brua by hitting a three-run home run to left to give the Terriers a 3-1 lead.

James got through 6.2 innings, allowing just the one hit, but was charged with the two runners that were on base when he left. He racked up a career-high seven punchouts, but did walk five and hit two along the way. He threw 98 pitches, 64 of which went for strikes.

With their backs against the wall, the Yeomen were able forge back to earn the win. Eric Knight started the inning by reaching on an error and sophomore classmate Zach Jaspers followed with a walk. After a sac bunt by Sean Cohen to move the runners into scoring position, you wouldn't believe what happened next.

Sophomore Matt Fish came up and hit a hard grounder right at the third baseman and with pinch runner Ethan Blumenthal running on contact he appears to be dead to rights at the plate but the Terriers catcher missed the chest high throw as he took his eye off the ball, which resulted in the ball going all the way back to the screen. In addition to Blumenthal's run, the miscue allowed Jaspers to score all the way from second. Fish, who hit the ball, ended up on third as the Hiram defense fell asleep once they retrieved it.

With the score now tied at three and Fish standing on third, Kauder popped up to second base for the second out of the inning. Cantrill, who had a big game one at the plate, followed Kauder but he would not get use his bat this time as he was intentionally walked. With Puterbaugh now at the plate looking to be the hero, Hiram pitcher Mike Lalonde uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Fish to come in and score the game-winning run.

One day after pitching a complete-game two hitter and suffering loss, Brua (3-6) was the benefactor of some sweet justice as he got the win by recording just one out and throwing nine pitches.

The Yeomen (16-21) will likely conclude their season tomorrow with a doubleheader at Allegheny College. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.