First Inning Outburst Propels Oberlin Over Chapman
Micah Rodriguez '27
 
Orange, California - Backed by a high-powered first-inning offense and lockdown pitching, the Oberlin College baseball team defeated Chapman University 8-7 in a thriller.
 
Under the lights at W.O. Hart Park, the Yeomen jumped out to an early 7-0 lead before Chapman even came to the plate.
 
Sophomore right fielder Brady Groves reached on an error to lead off the inning and senior shortstop Zachary Ritts followed with a walk to give the Yeomen two on with nobody out. After a flyout from sophomore first baseman Kyle Baxt, freshman infielder Samuel Labrecque walked to load the bases for junior catcher Anton Shelton. After working the count full, Shelton walked, starting the carousel up; scoring Groves from third to make it a 1-0 game. The following two batters, senior center fielder Zach Masnikoff and freshman left fielder Jack Braddel were hit by a pitch to plate two more runs and make it a 3-0 game. 
 
With only one out and the bases still loaded, freshman infielder Ryan Robinson stepped to the plate. On a 1-0 count, Robinson delivered the biggest swing of his young career, blasting a hanging slider off the top of the wall in left field and over for a grand slam. It was the Shrewsbury, NJ native's second home run of the season and first career grand slam that put the Yeomen up 7-0 after one. 
 
"Against a good team like [Chapman], in such a big situation, I was just trying to put the ball in the air and do a job," Robinson said when asked about his clutch swing. "It was huge to give our pitchers a big lead; they pitched great."
 
Defending the early 7-0 lead for the Yeomen was sophomore right-hander Calvin Burkholder. The Aurora, CO native battled through five innings to earn his third win of the season. Burkholder allowed six hits and six runs (five earned) while striking out five. 
 
By the top of the fourth, Chapman had fought back to make it a 7-5 game. Baxt led off the inning with a sharp single up the middle and advanced to second on a walk from Labrecque. After Baxt was gunned down trying to steal third, Shelton walked and the Yeomen had runners on first and second with one out. Masnikoff smoked a line up the middle that bounced off the rubber to score Labrecque from second and make it an 8-5 game.
 
Chapman tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to two.
 
Out of the pen, the Yeomen turned to sophomore Grayson Black. A bonafide starter, Black made his first relief appearance of the season. Despite that, the Palm Harbor. FL native was dialed in. After giving up a run in the bottom of the sixth, to make it an 8-7 game, Black did not budge. The right-hander fired four innings of one-run ball — his only run allowed was unearned — and surrendered only one hit while striking out five to earn his first save of the year and of his career.
 
"It was such an electric environment to be a part of," Black said postgame. "There's nothing better than a chippy night game. It was awesome to be able to come in and shut them down to secure a big win."
 
Now riding a four-game winning streak, the Crimson and Gold move to 7-11 on the season. Chapman has now dropped five straight and sits at 5-16 overall.
 
The Yeomen are back at it again today against the Whittier College Poets. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. PST.