Oberlin, Ohio – In a back-and-forth midweek battle with the Otterbein Cardinals, the Oberlin College baseball team came out on top, 9-7 in ten innings. Offensively, fourth-year catcher Anton Shelton paced the Yeomen with three hits. Second-year infielder Sam Labrecque and third-year first baseman Kyle Baxt each smacked two-run home runs, and third-year right fielder Brady Groves delivered an RBI single in the top of the tenth to cap off a two-hit performance.
The Cardinals jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead after the second inning, but Baxt quickly responded in the top of the third. He launched his third home run of the season deep over the left field wall to knot the score at two.
The Cardinals padded their lead, scoring two runs in the third and fourth innings to go ahead 6-2.
Labrecque connected on his second big fly of the year in the top of the fifth with a towering shot to left and cut the Cardinals' lead to two, 6-4.
Second-year Matthew Ruttkay got the midweek start on the mound for the Yeomen. The 6'7 right-hander battled through four innings, giving up eight hits and six earned runs while tallying three strikeouts.
After Otterbein got one run back in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 7-4 game, the Yeomen did all the remaining damage.
In the top of the seventh, Shelton delivered a two-strike, two-RBI single to cut Otterbein's lead to one.
In relief of Ruttkay, first-year right-hander Santiago Serrano gave the Yeomen exactly what they needed. The El Paso, Texas native tossed two innings, only surrendering one unearned run, and struck out a season-high four batters.
After Serrano, fellow first-year Shane McKenna took the bump and dazzled in his 3.1 innings. The left-hander did not allow a hit, scattered three walks, and added two strikeouts.
In the top of the ninth, with the Yeomen still down one, Shelton came through again. The Jazz Performance and Law and Society double major ripped an RBI single to left, scoring Labrecque from second to tie the game at seven.
After McKenna sent the game to extra innings with a clean bottom of the ninth, Groves singled to left field to give the Yeomen their first lead of the game.
"I was just trying to get on base and keep the line moving because Sam [Labrecque] and Kyle [Baxt] had been hitting well all game," Groves said of his approach at the plate in extras. "[I] got a pitch to hit and kept the line moving."
Baxt followed with a ground ball to second that was booted, allowing Groves to score from third to push Oberlin's lead to two, 9-7.
In the bottom half of the inning, with runners on first and third with one out, the Yeomen called upon reigning NCAC pitcher of the week Jameson Bryant to get the final two outs.
Fresh off a 7-inning scoreless performance with nine strikeouts, the Cape Elizabeth, Maine native calmly got the final two outs of the ball game to secure the win for the Yeomen.
Despite not taking the lead until extra innings, according to Groves, the Yeomen stayed engaged all game.
"The vibes could have been bad, but Santiago [Serrano] came in and shut them down," Groves said. "We were confident that if the bullpen kept throwing like that, we could eventually get the lead."
With the win, the Yeomen move to 11-7-1 as they enter conference play this Saturday with a double header against the Wabash College Little Giants. First pitch is scheduled for noon at Dill Field.
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