RICHMOND, Ind. – The Ohio Wesleyan University baseball team completed their three-game set at Earlham on Saturday, splitting the final two games after taking game two of a Saturday doubleheader. The Battling Bishops lost the first one 7-1 but bounced back to win the second 7-4.

OWU moves to 2-3 on the season. Earlham takes the series 2-1 and moves to 3-2 on the year.

GAME ONE: OHIO WESLEYAN 1, EARLHAM 7
Game one was a true pitchers duel to start out as both sides remained scoreless until the fourth inning. In the end, the Quakers were able to get seven runs on the scoreboard while OWU would only get one. The Bishops reached base just eight times in the outing on three hits and five walks.

The Battling Bishops tallied their only run of the game in the top of the seventh thanks to a productive out from Carter Vilevac. With runners on first and third, Vilevac grounded out to the second baseman, allowing Matt Spencer to score.

On the other side, Earlham managed one run in the fourth, three in the sixth, two in the seventh, and one in the eighth to secure the 7-1 victory.

Zane Vitense (0-1) made his first start of the season pitching four innings and allowing just four hits and one run while striking out three. Marcus Suwinski (2.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER), Tyler Mathews (1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER), and J.J. Earley (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER) came in to relieve. Suwinski struck out two and Mathews struck out one. Earley recorded his first career strikeout, the only in his collegiate debut.

Vilevac recorded the only RBI of the game.

Colton Moone went 2-for-4 with two singles.

Austin Biggin was 1-for-3, reaching base on 2-of-4 plate appearances with a double and a walk. 

Spencer scored the only run of the game. He also reached on a walk.

GAME TWO: OHIO WESLEYAN 7, EARLHAM 4
The Bishops bounced back to take game two 7-4. Unlike the first game, the Red and Black got the bats going early with two runs in the top of the second and three in the top of the third to take a 5-0 lead. 

First, Nate Colyer recorded his career RBI in the top of the second, knocking in Darren Krider by reaching on a dropped fly to put Ohio Wesleyan's first run on the board. Next, Henry Isaacs grounded out to second base, allowing Colyer to cross from third for a 2-0 lead.

Zane Vitense got things started in the third by scoring on a wild pitch. Next, Colyer ground-rule doubled to left for his first career hit, bringing in both Luke Johnson and Marcus Suwinski to make it 5-0.

Earlham narrowed the gap to 5-3 with two runs in the bottom of the third followed by another in the bottom of the sixth. This was nearly canceled out by two more runs by the Bishops in the top of the seventh to extend the lead back to four at 7-3. The first run came in via a sacrifice fly by Austin Biggin, scoring Vitense. The second came in after Isaacs singled to right, scoring Johnson.

Earlham managed to get one back in the bottom of the eighth, but it was too-little-too-late as the Battling Bishops took game two 7-4.

Jacob Lowery made his second appearance and his first start of the season, going 4.1 innings and allowing just five hits and two earned runs while striking out two. Nate Cory was first out of the bullpen, pitching one inning and allowing two hits and one earned run while striking out one.

Hank Holman (1-0) made his first appearance of the year and picked up his first win. He pitched 2.2 innings, allowing just one hit and one earned run while recording three strikeouts.  Logan Schnell made his collegiate debut on the mound and earned his first career save. He pitched a flawless ninth inning and struck out two.

Colyer made quite the collegiate debut, reaching four times in five at-bats. He recorded his first three career hits – including a double – and knocked in three runs while scoring one as well.

Biggin nabbed one RBI on a sac fly.

Vitense went 2-for-4 with a double and a single, scoring twice.

Johnson and Suwinski both went 1-for-4. Johnson scored twice while Suwinski scored once.

Krider came across to score once.

UP NEXT
The Battling Bishops play at home for the first time this season on Tuesday, taking on Heidelberg at 3 p.m. at Littick Field.