Greencastle, Indiana - On a hot and humid day in southwest Indiana, the Oberlin College baseball team earned its first two conference wins against DePauw, taking game one 6-2 before earning a hard-fought victory in the nightcap 7-4.
The Yeomen turned to sophomore Calvin Burkholder in desperate need of a win. Burkholder delivered when the pressure was one.
The Aurora, Colorado native fired a complete-game, two-run (one earned) masterpiece — his second complete game of the season and fourth of his career. The right-hander scattered eight hits while inducing fourteen flyouts and 9 groundouts and striking out three to push his season total to 35.
"It's a weight off our shoulders," Burkholder said about the team getting their elusive first conference victory. "Winning that first one means a lot mentally for the whole team. Now that we're in the win column we can play loose and carry it into the rest of conference play."
While Burkholder was dealing, the offense quietly did their part.
With two outs in the top of the second, freshman outfielder Jack Braddell ripped a single through the 5-6 hole to get things started. The next batter, junior catcher Anton Shelton worked the count full before drawing a walk to put two runners on. Freshman infielder Jeffery Chen followed with a ground ball that DePauw's shortstop could not handle to load the bases. Back at the of the order, senior outfielder Zach Masnikoff smoked a groundball that the shortstop booted, allowing two runs to score to make it a 2-0 game.
The next batter, senior infielder Zachary Ritts came through with a line drive single to center, scoring Chen and Masnikoff to push the lead to four.
That was all the offense the Yeomen would need as Burkholder was in complete control all game. Burkholder picked up his fourth win of the season in dominating fashion.
After DePauw got on the board in the bottom of the second, Oberlin responded hastily in the top half of the third.
Freshman Samuel Labrecque led off the inning with a laser through the 5-6 hole and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore outfielder Brady Groves. Labrecque then advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI groundout from freshman outfielder Daniel Devapalan.
The Yeomen scored their final run of the game in the top half of the seventh thanks to a sacrifice fly from Devapalan, to score freshman outfielder Josh Patterson from third who had come on to pinch run for Baxt.
Burkholder was nails through the next three innings as the Yeomen snagged their first conference win of the year.
Going for the sweep, sophomore Grayson Black got the nod in game two. Following Burkholder's lead, Black was lights out through the first six innings. Allowing only two hits while racking up six strikeouts. Also of note, Black picked off three runners at first, a career-high.
Oberlin punched first in the top of the third. Braddell led off the inning with a single up the middle and a hit by pitch on Masnikoff and a walk to Ritts loaded the bases with one out. After Baxt ripped a line drive right at the shortstop for the second out, Labrecque and Groves worked two-out walks to put the Yeomen ahead 2-0.
In the top half of the fourth, the Yeomen continued to add one. With two outs and the bases loaded, Baxt delivered an RBI single up the middle, scoring freshman infielder Ryan Robinson before Masnikoff was thrown out at home to end the inning.
In the top of the fifth, Groves walked and Devapalan singled through the right side to put two runners on with one out. Freshman catcher Caden Rosenbaugh came through with a run-scoring single just inside the third base bag to make it a 4-0 game.
After adding on two more runs in the top of the sixth courtesy of a Groves RBI fielder's choice and Devapalan hit by pitch, and one more run in the top of the seventh thanks to a Ritts sacrifice fly, the Tigers bats finally woke up.
DePauw scored four runs on five hits to make it a 7-4 game in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Black was pulled and the Yeomen brought in freshman right-hander Matthew Ruttkay who got the first batter he faced to fly out to center to end the inning.
Ruttkay slammed the door in the eighth and ninth inning, only allowing one infield single as the big righty earned the first save of his collegiate career en route to a 7-4 Yeomen win.
After the sweep, the Yeomen are now 10-19, 2-8 in NCAC play, while DePauw moves to 9-23, 2-10 in NCAC play.
Oberlin is back on the diamond tomorrow at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio. First pitch is scheduled for 4 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.
