Tigers Open Season With Split Against Kings

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - The 2006 season got off to an exciting start for the Wittenberg Tigers as they split a pair of Spring Break trip games with Kings College. After Wittenberg rallied from a 9-3 deficit in the opener to win 10-9, Kings evened the score with a 7-5 win in Game 2.

In the opener, the Tigers fell behind 9-3 by the fifth inning. Eight of those runs were charged to Wittenberg starter Jason Holmberg, and the ninth went to reliever Ryan Cronk, who then worked a scoreless sixth inning to set the stage for the comeback and gain his first collegiate victory. Joel Puthoff worked a scoreless seventh inning to gain his first collegiate save.

Freshman outfielder Patrick Williams had a tremendous debut for the Tigers. After scoring a run to close the fifth inning, Williams slammed a three-run homer in the sixth to close the gap to 9-6. Then in the seventh inning, catcher Matt Steinke singled home senior shortstop K.R. Schlievert to start the scoring. Down to their final out, the Tigers then struck in most improbable fashion, scoring a run on an error by the Kings shortstop, another on a wild pitch and the game-winner on a steal of home by sophomore Tyler Christello.

In the nightcap, the Tigers were unable to keep the momentum going as Kings knocked Wittenberg starter Trey Richardson around for five earned runs in 1.2 innings pitched. Tyler McClain allowed nine hits and two walks in relief, but he gave the Tigers a chance to make another comeback, allowing just two additional earned runs.

Offensively, Wittenberg picked up two hits each from the top two hitters in the order - leftfielder Jon Fox and Schlievert. Fox scored two runs and Schlievert drove in a pair, but the Tigers were shut down in the sixth and seventh innings after closing to within 6-5 with three runs in the fifth. Kings picked up an insurance run in the sixth.