Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Kenyon 11, Ohio Wesleyan 9
Kenyon 21, Ohio Wesleyan 6

Junior second baseman D.J. Neff (Grove City) smashed a grand slam that brought Ohio Wesleyan within 10-9, but Kenyon withstood the comeback and held on for a win in the opener of a North Coast Athletic Conference doubleheader on Thursday at Littick Field.

In the nightcap, Neff, senior outfielder Davis Graham (Canton/Massillon Jackson), and sophomore catcher Tyler Monaco (Centerville/South Mecklenburg (N.C.)) belted home runs for Ohio Wesleyan, but Kenyon totaled 5 homers to outslug the Bishops and complete the sweep.

Kenyon took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning of the opener, with Andrew Rabinowitz, Luke Meister, and Will Sturgeon driving in runs.

The Bishops pushed across single runs in each of the first 3 frames.  Graham lofted a sacrifice fly in the first.  In the second, sophomore outfielder Edrick Padilla (Salinas, P.R./Perkiomen (Pa.) School) drew a walk, moved to second on an infield out, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on a balk.  Neff plated a run in the third to make it a 4-3 game.

Leading, 5-3, the Lords scored 5 times in the fifth, with Alex Gow leading off the inning with a home run and Alex Hoskins doubling in 2 runs to finish off the uprising.

Ohio Wesleyan pulled closer with a 2-run double by sophomore first baseman Dillon Ysseldyke (Hilliard/Bradley) in the fifth and loaded the bases in the sixth on a single by freshman third baseman Noah Brazytis (Euclid/Cleveland St. Ignatius) and walks to senior first baseman Luigi Russo (Kelowna, B.C./Rutland Senior) and Graham before Neff sent a ball over the fence in left center to bring the Bishops within 10-9.

Stephen Carr hit a solo homer in the eighth to give the Lords an insurance run.

Ohio Wesleyan threatened in the ninth, with Padilla and junior outfielder Max Pershin (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech College Prep) drawing 2-out walks to bring the winning run to the plate, but Kenyon's Joel Biery got out of the inning to end the game.

Russo was 2-for-2 with 3 runs scored and Neff drove in 5 runs in the game.  Freshman righthander Josh Ferreira (Raynham, Mass./Portsmouth Abbey (R.I.)) was the starting and losing pitcher for the Bishops.

Sam Richards was credited with the win in relief for Kenyon, with Biery recording a save.

Ysseldyke doubled in a run as the Bishops took a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the nightcap, but Carr's 3-run homer in the second gave the lead to Kenyon.  Monaco answered with a solo shot in the bottom of the inning, but Kenyon countered with 5 runs in the third, getting home runs from Gow, Carr, and Hoskins during the inning.

Graham and Neff launched back-to-back homers in the bottom of the third as Ohio Wesleyan narrowed the deficit to 8-5, but Kenyon scored 3 runs in the fourth, 4 runs in the fifth, and 6 runs in the seventh to pull away for the win.

Ysseldyke went 3-for-4 for Ohio Wesleyan, while Graham was 2-for-3 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI.  Sophomore righthander Andy Anthony (Delaware/Buckeye Valley) was the starting and losing pitcher for the Bishops.

Noah Rosenberg was credited with the win in relief for Kenyon.

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2