Ada, Ohio - The Oberlin College baseball team dropped both games of its season-opening doubleheader at Ohio Northern University, falling 7-2 in game one before finishing on the wrong end of an 11-inning 1-0 decision in game two.
 
In the lid-lifter, junior Kyle Dominy got the opening-day start on the mound and worked five full innings before departing having allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits and five walks. He was ultimately dealt his first loss of the season.
 
Sophomore Sam Harris wasted no time getting the season started off on the right foot as he led off the game with single down the right field line, stole second and would then come around to score on senior Blaise Dolcemaschio's two-out single to give the Yeomen an early 1-0 lead.
 
ONU took advantage of an Oberlin error and Jordan Bostater's RBI double tie the game in the bottom of the third, but it was in the home half of the fourth when the Yeomen defense really failed them. Three errors in the inning resulted in two runs for the Polar Bears as they went ahead 3-1. However, an inning-ending lineout double play back to Dominy prevented the damage from being any worse.
 
The Yeomen loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the sixth, but couldn't push anything across. Instead the Polar Bears would go on to break the game open, using three hits and another Oberlin miscue to score three more runs in the bottom of the frame.
 
In the seventh Brian Carney's double to center field plated freshman Jake Reynolds for the Yeomen's second run of the game, but ONU responded with a single tally of their own to maintain their five-run cushion going into the eighth.
 
Oberlin finished with five errors and six hits in the game with Harris leading the way at 2-for-4. Five relief pitchers appeared for the Yeomen with sophomore Aaron Pinsoneault being most effective as he worked a perfect eighth.
 
In the nightcap sophomore right-hander Sean Kiley struck out seven of the first nine batters he faced, but the Yeomen couldn't get him a lead as they stranded six runners on base through the first four innings alone.
 
Little did anyone know at the time it would be a prelude to what was in store the rest of the way. Kiley departed after five complete, with eight strikeouts, no walks and just two hits allowed.
 
Sophomore sidearmer Milo Sklar came on and pitched out of trouble in the sixth and seventh innings to keep the game scoreless. In the sixth the Polar Bears got two base hits and in the seventh they put two on via the walk, but Skalr escaped unscathed.
 
In the meantime the Yeomen offense could not get anything going, producing just one hit between the sixth and 11^th innings as the Polar Bears would ultimately walk-off with 1-0 win.
 
Sklar departed after working four innings, allowing four hits and two walks to go along with four punchouts.
 
Senior Harrison Wollman took over in the 10^th on the bump and shutdown ONU, but in the 11^th they would finally breakthrough. The inning started with an error and a walk, but the Yeomen caught a break with unconventional double play that erased both the lead runners.
 
However, on the play Bostater remained at first base and would then advance on a wild pitch to move into scoring position with two out. Clay Small would then deliver the game-winning single to left and to score Bostater and give the Polar Bears the sweep.
 
Freshman Ian Dinsmore had an impressive collegiate debut at the plate as he was 3-for-5, while sophomore Derek Martin finished 2-for-4. None of the Yeomen's seven hits in the game went for extra bases.
 
Oberlin will now gear up for its annual spring break trip to Tucson, Arizona, where they will play 16 games over eight days. Fans will be to follow live stats for all the games on goyeo.com/stream.