Berea, Kentucky – In the final game of a three-game set, Oberlin baseball fell to the Berea Mountaineers 8-7. After winning the first two games, the Yeomen could not finish the weekend with a sweep. The loss brings Oberlin's record to 2-4, while Berea moves to 1-5.
 
On the bump, the Yeomen turned to freshman starter Samual Labrecque. In his second career start, Labrecque battled through 3.1 innings, giving up seven hits and five runs (four earned) while striking out four. 
 
The Mountaineers jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first. Back-to-back singles to lead off the game were followed by a walk to give Berea the bases loaded with nobody out. The Mountaineers capitalized on the early opportunity; scoring two runs on a single to right field to make it a 2-0 game. A few batters later, a double in the left-center gap plated two, putting Oberlin in an early 4-0 hole after one. 
 
The Yeomen got on the board in the top of the third. Freshman center fielder Dylan Norman led off the inning with his first collegiate hit, a line drive single to center field. The next batter, AJ Senga, laid a beauty of a bunt down the third base line to set up Oberlin with first and second. After advancing to second and third on a ground ball, sophomore first baseman Kyle Baxt got the Yeomen on the board with an RBI groundout to third, scoring Norman to make it a 4-1 game. After sophomore right fielder Brady Groves walked, he got in a run down attempting to steal second; Senga scored from third before Groves was tagged out to make it a 4-2 game. 
 
Berea tacked on a run in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 5-2 game. 
 
In relief of Labrecque, the Yeomen turned to sophomore pitcher Davis Hayes. The right-hander went 2.2 strong innings in relief, only surrendering one run and scattering two hits. 
 
In the top of the sixth, Baxt led off with a single to left and Groves followed with a walk to give the Yeomen first and second with nobody out. After a wild pitch advanced the runners, senior third baseman Zachary Ritts beat out a ground ball to shortstop to make it a 5-3 game. 
 
In the bottom of the inning, Berea added to their lead once again with an RBI single to left to make it a 6-3 game. 
 
In the top of the eighth, the top of the Oberlin lineup was at it again. With one out, Baxt hit a booming double to center and scored on an RBI single up the middle from senior catcher Anton Shelton to make it a 6-4 game.

After back-to-back walks loaded the bases for the Yeomen, a wild pitch scored Shelton from third to bring Oberlin within one. After another walk, Norman smoked a ball that went through the shortstop's legs, putting Oberlin in front for the first time all game, 7-6.

Following Hayes, the Yeomen went to freshman right-hander Kaes Carter. After a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh, Carter walked the first batter he faced in the eighth. The next batter hit a home run down the right fielder line to put the Mountaineers up 8-7. 
 
Sophomore pitcher Micah Rodriguez came on in relief of Carter and struck out both batters he faced to keep it an 8-7 game.
 
In the top of the ninth, the Yeomen went down in order and Berea earned their first win of the season.
 
The Yeomen are back at it Tuesday, in their home opener at Dill Field against Westminster College. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
 
Fans can keep up with their favorite teams on Instagram, Facebook, X, or TikTok, and watch all the home matches live online. The Crimson and Gold's home broadcasts can be accessed on TV through the official Oberlin College Sports Network app on Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV.