Baseball splits doubleheader at Oberlin to open 2023 season

By Wes Mayberry

OBERLIN — The Ohio Northern baseball team split a doubleheader with Oberlin to open its 2023 season on Sunday at Dill Field.

The Polar Bears won the first game 3-2 before falling 4-3 in the second game.

Both teams are now 1-1 on the season.

Freshman Chase Armstrong was the hero for the Polar Bears in Game 1.

With one out in the top of the eighth inning, sophomore Andrew Stechschulte (Findlay) and freshman Robbie Reed (Goshen, Ky./Trinity) hit back-to-back singles, putting runners on first and third. Pinch hitting, Armstrong followed with a single that scored both runners and gave ONU a 3-2 lead.

Oberlin had gotten on the scoreboard first on an RBI single from Max Cairo in the bottom of the first inning.

Northern tied the score in the top of the fifth on an RBI single from Stechschulte that brought senior Nate Webb (Bath, Ind./Union County) home from second.

The Yeomen had a quick answer, though, when Ethan Hurwitz scored on an ONU error in the bottom of the fifth.

Oberlin maintained that lead until Armstrong provided what proved to be the game-winning hit in the eighth.

ONU out-hit Oberlin 7-6 in the game and got a team-high two hits from Stechshulte.

Fifth-year senior Corey McMann (Flower Mound, Tex./Liberty Christian) had the Polar Bears' lone extra-base hit of the game courtesy of his leadoff triple in the top of the ninth inning.

Oberlin got a team-best two hits from Jake Blozy.

Senior Tim Knapschaefer (Maria Stein/Marion Local) got the pitching start for ONU and allowed one earned run on five hits and two walks while striking out five over 5.2 innings.

Knapschaefer is now the 29th member of ONU's 100-Strikeout Club, as his five on Sunday gave him 102 for his career.

Senior Jack Hutchins (Bright, Ind./East Central) earned the win in relief, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out three over 3.1 scoreless innings.

Vince Dolcemaschio took the loss on the mound for Oberlin after allowing three runs on six hits while striking out two over eight innings.

The Yeomen once again took an early lead in the second game, scoring a run on a single from Max Anastasio in the bottom of the first inning.

Northern tied the score in the top of the third after a one-out double from sophomore Elliott Veenstra (Findlay/Liberty Benton). Veenstra later scored on a two-out error by Oberlin that allowed Armstrong to reach base.

Oberlin took a 2-1 edge in the bottom of the third courtesy of a two-out single from Anastasio that scored Blozy from second.

The Polar Bears responded to tie the score again in the top of the fourth on a two-out RBI double from senior Vinny Sclafani (Oak Brook, Ill./Hinsdale Central).

Northern then took a 3-2 edge in the top of the fifth when Armstrong scored on an Oberlin error that allowed senior Jacob Wenning (Coldwater) to reach base.

The Yeomen answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning that ended up giving them the lead for good.

Chris Wolfe and John Schooner opened the frame with back-to-back singles and advanced to second and third on a sacrifice bunt from Harry Kaplan. Blozy then plated Wolfe with a single, and a Yianni Gardner sacrifice fly brought Schooner home from third.

The Polar Bears threatened in the top of the ninth, putting runners on second and third via back-to-back two-out singles from sophomore Sam Harrison (Perrysburg/St. Francis de Sales) and Armstrong.

But the Yeomen made a pitching change, and Luigi Smarro induced a game-ending foul out from McMann on the first pitch of the ensuing at-bat to preserve the win and earn a save.

Both teams finished with eight hits in the game.

Armstrong had a team-high two hits, including a double, for ONU.

Blozy and Anastasio had two hits each for Oberlin.

Max Wassarman earned the win in relief for Oberlin, giving up one unearned run on four hits and one walk while striking out four.

Junior Noah Truax (Lewis Center/Bishop Watterson) got the pitching start for ONU, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out two over 2.2 innings.

Sophomore Vaughn Duncan (Springfield) was charged with the loss, allowing two runs on three hits with one strikeout.

Sophomore Blake Peterson (Belle Center/Benjamin Logan) pitched well in relief for ONU, striking out four and allowing no base runners over the final 1.1 innings.

The Polar Bears return to action on March 5 for a single game at Oberlin prior to traveling to Florida for their Spring Break trip.