Greencastle, Ind. – The Oberlin College baseball team belted out 17 hits en route to a 15-7 win in game one, but used up all their offensive firepower as the DePauw University Tigers took the nightcap 9-0 on Saturday afternoon.
 
The split sets up a win-and-you're-in game on Sunday at high noon with the winner advancing to the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament in Chillicothe, Ohio.
 
In the lid-lifter, the Tigers plated four runs with two outs in the bottom of the second to take the early lead on a two-run single from Mike Hammel and a two-RBI triple from Cory Meixer. However, Oberlin starter Kyle Dominy would settle in from there, giving an opportunity to his teammates to back him with some runs.
 
The Yeomen would deliver those runs in the fourth, scoring five in the inning to take the lead. Ryan Bliss got the barrage going with a run-producing single through the right side before senior classmate Mitch Novak followed with a two-run opposite-field double down the right field line to make it a 4-3 Tigers' lead.
 
Catcher Blaise Dolcemaschio would even the game with a single back up the box to score Bliss, and then the Yeomen would out in front on an RBI groundout by Justin Cruz.
 
Oberlin was not done there, adding three more in the fifth to open up an 8-4 cushion. Senior Danny Baldocchi came through with a run-scoring double to the gap in right center before Novak stepped up and belted a two-run inside-the-park home run to center field.
 
The Tigers responded with three runs in the home-half of the fifth to get back within one, 8-7, but the Yeomen busted the game open with its second five-run inning of the game in the top of the seventh.
 
Following an error to start the inning, Baldocchi, Bliss and Novak hit three straight singles to chase DePauw starter Jack Peck from the game. The hit by Bliss scored Andrew Hutson after he reached on the miscue. However, the big hit of the inning came courtesy of Dolcemaschio as he lifted a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right field for a grand slam for his first home run of the season and second of his career.
 
The Yeomen would add on two more in the ninth as John Evans roped a two-run single back up the middle to score Jeff Schweighoffer and Dolcemaschio.
 
Batting in the seventh and eighth spots, respectively, Novak and Dolcemaschio accounted for five hits, five runs and nine RBIs.
 
Dominy turned in arguably one of the best outings of his career, going the distance as he threw 131 pitches (78 strikes) to save the Yeomen bullpen. The sophomore southpaw is now 5-1 on the year as he allowed just five earned runs on 10 hits and four walks. He also fanned three in the win.
 
In the nightcap Yeomen freshman starter Sean Kiley and the Tigers' starter Wyatt Spector were locked up in a pitcher's duel through the front four innings.
 
However, DePauw would get to the Yeomen rookie in the fifth as Tate Stewart led off the frame with a solo home run before they added on two more with a single and a sac fly to claim a 3-0 lead.  DePauw would tack on two more in the sixth as Meixner had an RBI double to gap in left center and Ryan Grippo followed with a sac fly to right.
 
Kiley would leave after the sixth as he surrendered nine hits and two walks. The Studio City, California, native did register a career-high six strikeouts before departing and now boasts a record of 4-3.
 
Oberlin never threatened at the plate, finishing with just six hits in the game.  Baldocchi was the only Yeoman with more than one hit as he was 2-for-4 with a double.
 
DePauw would go on to add four runs in the eighth off the Yeomen bullpen to put the game away for good.
 
Fans can follow the action of tomorrow's winner-take-all game here. First pitch is set for noon.