Pasadena, California - On the opening day of Oberlin College baseball's spring break trip, the Yeomen split a pair with the Caltech Beavers, dropping the opening game 8-2 before taking the second game, 4-1 behind a masterful performance from senior righty Max Wassarman.
 
In game one, the Yeomen were unable to get anything going offensively. The team could only muster up six hits, all of which were singles. 
 
The Beavers jumped out to an early 4-0 lead after one. Caltech got to freshman Samuel Labrecque who got the nod on the mound for the Yeomen. 
 
After the rough bottom of the first, the righty settled down. Fighting through four innings, giving up five total runs (four earned) while striking out two.
 
In relief of Labrecque, the freshman duo of Matthew Ruttkay and Kaes Carter finished the game for the Yeomen. The pair combined to go four innings, giving up three earned runs and striking out two. 
 
The Yeomen went into the top of the ninth down 8-0. However, the offense generated a spark to give Oberlin some momentum heading into game two. 
 
Freshman outfield Joshua Patterson delivered his first collegiate hit to lead off the inning, a pinch-hit single into the left field. The next batter, freshman first baseman Max Bernstein came off the bench and roped a single into the left-center gap to set the Yeomen up with runners on first and third. Junior JT Schoessel capitalized, driving a sac fly to right, scoring Patterson to break the shutout and get the Yeomen on the board. The next batter, freshman left fielder Daniel Devapalan smoked a line drive single to the gap in right-center and advanced to second on an error. Freshman Jeffery Chen followed with the Yeoman's second sac fly of the inning to score Bernstein and make it an 8-2 game. 
 
Wassarman got the ball for the Yeomen in game two and he was excellent. In his first start of the season, the Winchester, MA native dominated through six innings of one-run ball, only giving up five hits and striking out three. 
 
"It felt great to perform well," Wassarman said about his career day. "My teammates made plays behind me, and that confidence allowed me to just pitch comfortably and fill up the zone."
 
Six innings was the longest appearance of Wassarmans career. 
 
While Wassarman was dealing, the offense capitalized thanks to two solo home runs.
 
In the top of the first, sophomore first baseman Kyle Baxt demolished a ball well over the left field wall to give the Yeomen an early 1-0 lead. It was Baxt's third home run of the season.
 
In the top of the third, freshman shortstop Ryan Robinson smoked his first career collegiate home run, a moonshot over the left-center wall to give the Yeomen a 2-0 lead. 
 
"I knew it was gone off the bat," Robinson said about the moment he had contact. "It felt great to hit a ball hard and get the first one out of the way. Lots more to come." 
 
Oberlin tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth. Devapalan was hit in the shoulder to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a sac bunt from senior center fielder Zach Masnikoff. Freshman catcher Caden Rosenbaugh followed with a line drive single to set the Yeomen up with first and third and one out. Robinson continued his phenomenal day at the plate with an infield single, scoring Devapalan to give the Yeomen a 3-0 lead. Rosenbaugh came around to score on a passed ball to push Oberlin's lead to 4. 
 
The Beavers were able to scratch across one run in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 4-1 game heading into the seventh. 
 
Oberlin turned to sophomore Micah Rodriguez in the bottom of the seventh. The righty worked a clean seventh, striking out two, to earn his first save of the season, and the second of his career.
 
The split moves the Yeomen to 4-11 on the season while Caltech moves to 6-13. 
 
The Yeoman and Beavers will play two to finish up the four-game set on Monday. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 11 a.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.