Granville, Ohio - In a North Coast Athletic Conference matchup with the No. 1 team in the country, the Oberlin College baseball team dropped both games of the twin bill to the  Denison Big Red, falling 8-2 in game one and 11-1 (7 inns.) in game two. 

In game one, the Yeomen turned to third-year Calvin Burkholder on the bump. After throwing seven strong innings against the Big Red last season – only allowing one run – the right-hander battled through five innings. The Aurora, Colorado native allowed five hits and surrendered five earned runs while tallying two punchouts.

"Going into the game, you hear a lot about them being the number one team in the country," Burkholder said. "But at the end of the day, it is just another game, and my mentality can't change just because of who they are."

First-year center fielder Patrick Leonard got into scoring position for the Yeomen in the top of the third, lacing a double down the right field line. The next batter, third-year right fielder Brady Groves, ripped a single through the 3-4 hole to score Leonard and knot the score at one. 

However, from that point on, the yeomen offense was unable to get much going against Denison's top-ranked pitching staff; only scratching another run across in the top of the seventh thanks to a defensive miscue. 

In game one, Oberlin and Denison were tied in the hit column with eight apiece. However, the Big Red reached base ten times via a walk or hit by pitch, while the Yeomen only walked once.

Groves and second-year catcher Daniel Krabill each registered multi-hit games in the opening contest.

In game two, second-year Warner Gearhart got the nod on the hill for the Yeomen. In his fifth start of the season, Gearhart was chased from the game in the third inning.

The Yeomen offense was kept at bay by the Big Red pitching staff in game two, accounting for six hits and two walks.

In comparison, the Big Red tallied seven hits and walked eight times to win the total base battle.

Third-year first baseman Kyle Baxt and Krabill recorded multi-hit games in the nightcap.

"I was just focused on shortening up my swing and putting the ball in play hard," Krabill remarked on his four-hit day. "[I] just had to stay relaxed and focus on the things I could control."

The Yeomen are back in action tomorrow, Sunday, April 12 at League Park in Cleveland, Ohio as they commemorate Moses Fleetwood Walker in a game against Allegheny College. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.