Oberlin, Ohio - On Wednesday, the Oberlin baseball team honored Moses Fleetwood Walker. The late great was a member of the Oberlin baseball team and graduated in 1878. In 1884, Walker broke the color barrier in baseball, becoming the first black major league ballplayer.
 
Equipt with throwback uniforms replicating the Yeomen's 1903 look, Oberlin dismantled the Heidelberg Student Princes 10-2 on a beautiful afternoon. 
 
Sophomore Davis Hayes got the nod for the Yeomen and delivered his best start of the season. The veteran righty posted 7 strong innings, only giving up one earned run on six hits while striking out six. 
 
"It always feels rewarding to be a part of something bigger than yourself," Hayes remarked about winning on Moses Fleetwood Walker day. "When we play our brand of baseball, you'd be hard-pressed to find a team that is more bought in than the Yeomen."
 
The offense immediately provided Hayes with immediate run support in the bottom half of the first. 
 
Senior outfielder Zach Masnikoff led off the game with a walk after working the count full. The next two batters, freshman infielder Samuel Labrecque and sophomore first baseman Kyle Baxt followed with singles to load the bases for sophomore outfielder Brady Groves. The Youngsville, NC native came through with a 2 RBI single to left to put the Yeomen up 2-0. After a walk to freshman outfielder Daniel Devapalan, freshman catcher Daniel Krabill lifted a sacrifice fly to center to make it a 3-0 game.
 
That was all the help Hayes would need en route to his second win of the season. 
 
After the Student Princes got on the board in the top of the third, Oberlin responded back in the bottom half of the fourth. Freshman infielder Ryan Robinson walked with one out and advanced to third on two wild pitches. Masnikoff ripped a sacrifice fly into right to make it a 4-1 game.
 
In the bottom of the fifth — after Heildberg tacked on a run in the top of the fifth to make it a two-run game — Baxt smoked a double over the center fielder's head to put himself in scoring position. Groves immediately followed with a rocketed triple over the center fielder's head to push the lead back to 3. 
 
The Yeomen padded onto their lead in the bottom half of the sixth. With two outs and Robinson on second, Labrecque was hit by a pitch to set up Baxt. The Wellington, FL native chopped a ground ball to third base that Heildberg threw away, allowing both runners to score and making it a 7-2 game. After a walk to Groves, Devapalan singled up the middle on a 3-2 count, scoring Baxt and Groves who were running on the pitch. Devapalan stole second before coming around to score on a passed ball and a throwing error on Heidelberg's catcher to push the Yeoman's lead to eight. 
 
Freshman Warner Gearhart came on in relief of Hayes and spun two spotless scoreless innings of relief. 
 
With the win, the Yeomen move to 11-21 while Heidelberg falls to 14-21.
 
The Yeoman are back on the diamond this Saturday for a doubleheader against Kenyon College on Dill Field. First pitch of game one is scheduled for noon.
 
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.