Oberlin, Ohio - In their final home series on the last day of April, the Oberlin College baseball dropped both games of a doubleheader to the Wittenberg Tigers. The Yeomen lost game one 14-6 and fell 14-4 in the nightcap.
 
The Yeomen jumped out to an early lead in game one. Senior outfielder Zach Masnikoff led off the inning with a booming triple in the right-center gap. Sophomore outfielder Brady Groves followed with a sacrifice fly to left to get the Yeomen a quick 1-0 advantage.
 
With two outs, freshman infielder Samuel Labrecque ripped a double into the left-center gap and came around to score on an infield single from senior shortstop Zachary Ritts to make it a 2-0 game.
 
However, from there on it was all Wittenberg. The Tigers added on one run in the second, five runs in the third, and four runs in the fourth to make it a 10-2 ballgame.
 
In the bottom half of the fifth, the Yeomen cut into the Tigers lead. Freshman Jeffery Chen started the inning with a hit by a pitch and moved to third on a line drive single through the right side from Masnikoff. With runners on the corners, Groves delivered an RBI single to right-center to cut the lead to seven. One batter later, Labrecque rocked a bases-clearing triple down the right field line to make it a 10-5 game. The next batter, Ritts, scored Labrecque from third with an RBI groundout to trim the lead to four.
 
In game one, sophomore Davis Hayes got the nod for the Yeomen. The right-hander battled through 3.1 innings while striking out three.
 
Freshman Warner Gearhart relieved Hayes in the fourth inning and was exceptional. The left-hander fought through 5.2 innings, surrendering four runs (three earned) while striking out three. 
 
The Tigers jumped on the Yeomen early in game two, plating nine runs in the game's first two innings. 
 
Masnikoff, Labrecque, and Ritts all registered multi-hit games in the loss. 
 
Freshman Matthew Ruttkay got the start in game two before giving way to the bullpen in the top half of the third.
 
Sophomore Micah Rodriguez was first out of the pen and grinded out two innings of two-run ball while striking out four. 
 
Following Rodriguez, freshman Lachlan Nichol and Kaes Carter combined to throw three efficient innings, only allowing two runs (one earned) and striking out two.
With the loss, the Yeomen fall to 12-24, 3-11 in NCAC play while the Tigers move to 27-9, 11-3 in NCAC play.
 
The Yeomen are back in action Saturday for their final games of the season at Ohio Wesleyan University. First pitch 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.