LEWIS CENTER, Ohio – The Ohio Wesleyan University baseball team opened up the 2026 season on Saturday, taking on Geneva in a neutral-site doubleheader at nearby Jennings Park. The 35-degree weather with snow flurries mixed in was not enough to stop the Battling Bishops from getting going as they split the series, taking game one 6-4 but dropping game two 11-4.
Both the Bishops and the Golden Tornadoes start the season 1-1.
GAME ONE: OHIO WESLEYAN 6, GENEVA 4
The Red and Black came out with an early lead in game one, putting one run on the board in the bottom of the first. It started with
Alex Snyder reaching on a fielder's choice to shortstop with two runners on. On the play,
Michael Malone advanced to third before scoring on an errant throw by the shortstop to give OWU a 1-0 advantage.
The game stayed 1-0 for the next three innings until Geneva ventured ahead with two runs in the fifth and two more in the seventh to make it a 4-1 game. Ohio Wesleyan responded quickly in the bottom of the seventh with a two-out rally. First,
Zane Vitense and
Carter Vilevac both crossed on bases-loaded walks. Next, Snyder singled down the left field line to score
Reynaldo Pelaez. Finally,
Colton Moone sent a single up the middle to plate
Luke Johnson and Malone, completing the comeback and putting the Bishops ahead 6-4. This is where OWU would stay as
Marcus Suwinski closed it out in the last two innings.
Parker Tomlin got the start and went five full innings and struck out seven batters while allowing just two runs.
Nathan Hurley (W, 1-0) came in in relief and earned his first win of the season with two innings-pitched and one strikeout. Suwinski (S, 1) made his collegiate debut and earned his first career save, pitching the final two innings and securing the two-run lead. He struck out three.
Moone led the offense, reaching base 3-of-4 times and going 2-for-3 with two runs batted in.
Johnson reached base in 4-of-4 plate appearances. He was 2-for-2 with one RBI, one run-scored, two walks, and one stolen base.
Snyder knocked in a run and recorded a single.
Vitense reached once and scored once while also stealing two bases.
Vilevac and Pelaez both scored a run.
GAME TWO: OHIO WESLEYAN 4, GENEVA 11
Geneva got the early jump in game two with one run in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead. This was soon nullified by two runs each in the second and the third by the Bishops, with an addition run by the Golden Tornadoes sandwiched in between.
In the second it was
Marcus Suwinski singling up the middle to drive in
Austin Biggin and
Zane Vitense. The first of the two runs in the third came from
Alex Snyder scoring on a wild pitch. Finally, Biggin brought in the fourth run with a sacrifice fly to left field that plated
Colton Moone. Unfortunately, this is where the tides turned for the Battling Bishops as Geneva put up five runs in the fifth, followed by four in the sixth to take the game to an 11-4 final score.
Nate Cory got the nod in game two, going 2.1 innings and striking out one.
Tyler Mathews was the first out of the bullpen, pitching 1.2 innings and also striking out one.
Jacob Lowery (L, 0-1) offered one inning of relief in the fifth. He was slated with the loss.
Owen Tornow (0.2 IP) and
Grant Castle (1.1 IP, 1 SO) came in to finish the game. Castle recorded his first career strikeout.
Suwinski was 1-for-1 with two RBIs and two walks.
Biggin drove in one and scored one, going 1-for-2 with a single, a sac fly, a walk, and a stolen base.
Michael Malone went 2-for-3 with one stolen base.
Snyder was 2-for-4 with one run-scored.
Moone nabbed a double on a 1-for-2 day with two walks, reaching base in 3-of-4 plate appearances.
Vitense walked twice and scored once.
UP NEXT
The Battling Bishops hit the road next weekend for a three-game series at Earlham. The weekend set will get started with two games at noon and 3 p.m. on Saturday, followed by another noon game on Sunday.
