Granville, Ohio – A gutsy pitching performance from sophomore Milo Sklar was backed up with 12 hits as the Oberlin College baseball team took game one of the NCAC Crossover Series at Denison University, 3-2.

The win not only snapped a 10-game skid for the Yeomen, it left them needing just one more victory tomorrow afternoon to secure a return trip the NCAC Tournament next weekend.

Sklar threw 126 pitches in seven innings, allowing three hits and one unearned run. However, he did work himself into some jams on multiple occasions as he walked six and hit two in the win. Despite living dangerously for much of the afternoon, he was able to escape by making the big pitch when he needed it most as the Big Red stranded 11 men on base.

Junior southpaw Kyle Dominy worked the final two innings to lock down his first save of the season in what was his first appearance out of the bullpen. It was the fifth save of his career as he also secured four Oberlin victories as a freshman.

However, it certainly wasn't easy as the bottom of the ninth was rather dicey for the Phoenix, Arizona, native.  Trailing 3-1, the first three Denison hitters would reach base with the second two coming on bunt singles to load the bases with nobody out. Eric Zumba then stepped in and a sent ball deep to straight-away centerfield that Justin Cruz raced back for and corralled on the run for what was game-saving catch, although one run did score on the play.

The game would ultimately end on a strange double play as pinch hitter Phil Papaioannou chopped one back to Dominy who quickly flipped home as they had Tanner Johnson held up between the plate and third for the first out. Then catcher Blaise Dolcemaschio alertly saw Papaioannou trying to advance to second and he sent a seed to Cruz who was covering the bag at second to retire Papaioannou for the game's final out.

The Yeomen, who never trailed in the game, led from the very onset as they had a 1-0 lead after just five pitches. Sophomore Sam Harris ripped the second pitch he saw down the third base line and after falling behind 0-2, rookie Ian Dinsmore roped a double to the gap in left center to plate Harris.

Oberlin took a 2-0 lead in the third when Brian Carney belted a two-out RBI single to right center that sent Dinsmore across the dish.

The Big Red cut the deficit in half in the home-half of the fourth as a hit, walk and error loaded the bases. Then Sklar hit Jake Meegan with the sacks packed to send a run home, but he was able to limit the damage and leave the bases loaded.

The Yeomen would add an all-important insurance run in the sixth as Isaac Goldman and Dolcemaschio had back-to-back one-out singles. Sophomore first baseman Quin Butler would then follow with a clutch two-out single to left to make it a 3-1 cushion for the Yeomen.

In the bottom of the frame, the Big Red had Sklar on the ropes. After two quick outs, a walk, a single and a hit batter loaded the bases, but Sklar induced an inning-ending groundout by Johnson as the Big Red once again left them loaded. It was one of 16 ground-ball outs registered by the Brooklyn, New York, native.

Sklar, who moved to 4-3 on the year, worked a 1-2-3 seventh and was removed after issuing a lead-off walk in the eighth. However, Dominy squashed the threat by recording a foul-out, strikeout and groundout to end the inning.

Oberlin had two hits in each of the seventh and eighth innings, but couldn't push anything across against Big Red ace Zack Huarte (6-2) as he went the distance.

Dinsmore, Carney, Dolcemaschio and Butler each had two hits for the Yeomen. Cruz also went 1-for-4 in the game, registering the 100^th hit of his career. The 12 total hits by Oberlin was the most in game since they had 12 against Hiram on April 19 – ironically enough it was also the team's last victory prior to today as they topped the Terriers 6-3 on that day.

Oberlin will now need to win at least one game of tomorrow's doubleheader to move onto its second straight NCAC Tournament and third in the last four years. Game one will start at 12 p.m.