Tiger Baseball Stays Hot, Sweeps Kenyon in NCAC Doubleheader
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 17 | 0 |
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0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 0 |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 0 |
SPRINGFIELD, OH - Wittenberg Baseball, the No. 1 offensive team in the country by batting average, stayed hot on Saturday afternoon as the Tigers completed a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) doubleheader sweep over Kenyon, winning game one 11-5 and game two 7-3.
Wittenberg put together another 30-plus hit day across the two games and improved to 19-5 overall and 4-0 in conference play. The Tigers also checked in at No. 21 in the first NPI rankings, a system used to evaluate teams for NCAA Tournament positioning, which were released on Thursday.
Game One: Wittenberg 11, Kenyon 5
The Tigers came out swinging in game one, finishing with 19 hits as every starter recorded at least one hit. Alex Nemunaitis (Perrysburg, OH / Ottawa Hills) and Xander Rodriguez (Salinas, PR / Franklin County) both homered as Wittenberg scored consistently throughout the contest.
The big inning came in the seventh, when the Tigers broke the game open with a five-run frame. James MacAuley (Grosse Pointe Woods, MI / Grosse Point North) delivered a two-RBI single before Rodriguez capped the inning with a three-run homer to give Wittenberg full control.
Tommy Chilicki (Lewis Center, OH / Olentangy) led the way with four hits, while Nemunaitis and Landon Turner (Tipp City, OH / Tippecanoe) each collected three hits in the win.
On the mound, Wade Thewes (Parker, CO / Lutheran) earned the victory, going seven innings with seven strikeouts while allowing three earned runs. Zach Rust (Dublin, OH / Coffman) was sharp in relief, throwing two scoreless innings and striking out four.
Game Two: Wittenberg 7, Kenyon 3
Wittenberg kept the offense rolling in game two, using another balanced attack to finish off the sweep.
MacAuley had a big game at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. Nemunaitis, Quintin Applegate (Delaware, OH / Olentangy Berlin), Corbin Marshall (Doylestown, OH / Chippewa), and Turner each added two hits as the Tigers continued to produce runs throughout the lineup.
Mason Glen (Cincinnati, OH / Anderson) picked up the win, throwing five strong innings while allowing just one run and striking out four. Mikey Eickoff (Akron, OH / St. Vincent-St. Mary) came in the ninth and shut the door to seal the 7-3 win.
Up Next
The Tigers return home for a midweek matchup against Bluffton on Wednesday, April 8. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.
Written By: Luke Thomas