Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Denison 9, Ohio Wesleyan 1
Denison 11, Ohio Wesleyan 3

Sophomore second baseman D.J. Neff (Grove City) led off the game with a home run, but Denison scored the next 9 runs and went on to a win in the opener of a North Coast Athletic Conference West Division doubleheader on Friday in Granville.

The nightcap saw the Bishops take an early lead on an RBI single by freshman outfielder Edrick Padilla (Salinas, P.R./Perkiomen (Pa.) School), but Denison broke the game open with 5 runs in the sixth on the way to completing the sweep.

Neff's leadoff homer in the first game made him the first Ohio Wesleyan player to open a game with a home run since May 2, 2007, when Joey McDaniel led off the game with a home run at Otterbein.  Neff also is the last Ohio Wesleyan player to end a game with a home run, belting a walk-off shot against Bridgewater State on March 12, 2020.

Anthony Ruggieri's 2-run single capped a 3-run second inning for the Big Red, and the hosts added 5 runs in the third, with Daniel Spencer's 2-run double the highlight.

Neff was 2-for-3 for Ohio Wesleyan.

Sophomore righthander Michael Lipscomb (Pataskala/Watkins Memorial) was the starting and losing pitcher for Ohio Wesleyan.

Taylor Perrett pitched the first 6.0 innings, allowing 6 hits, to record the win for Denison.

Ohio Wesleyan jumped to a 1-0 lead in the second inning of the nightcap on a triple by sophomore outfielder Max Pershin (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech College Prep) and a run-scoring single by Padilla.

Denison answered with 3 runs in the bottom of the inning, with Brian McAuliffe delivering an RBI single, and added a run in the third on Jake Welsch's RBI single.

Pershin doubled home a run to bring the Bishops within 4-2 in the fourth, but the hosts responded with a 2-run single from Ty Robinson in the bottom of the inning and got 5 more runs in the sixth.

Junior outfielder Davis Graham (Canton/Massillon Jackson) singled home a run in the seventh.

Pershin was 2-for-3 for Ohio Wesleyan.

Freshman righthander Jason Monos (Amherst/Steele) was the starting and losing pitcher for the Bishops.

Will McManaman pitched the first 6.0 innings, scattering 5 hits, to claim the win.

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2