FORT PIERCE, Fla.-- Impressive pitching performances on both sides took precedence on Monday's doubleheader between the Kenyon College and Ursinus College baseball teams. The Owls opened the day with a 2-1 win that extended their winning streak to four to start the season, but the Bears bounced back to scratch out a 1-0 game-two triumph.
The day's four starting pitchers were on point, combining to throw 24.1 of the total 26 innings pitched over the seven-inning twin bill. The offenses were mostly held in check, combining for three runs and 13 hits in game one before being slowed down even further in a one-run, four-hit second contest.
Frank Lynch and Mike Scheller went toe-to-toe in game one, combining to record all but one out, and Lynch landed on top despite narrowly missing a complete game. The junior allowed a leadoff single, but a pickoff sparked a three-up, three-down first frame that ended with a strikeout.
The offense got rolling quickly as Malcolm Gaynor led off with a single and promptly stole second, and Ben Zimmerman moved the runner over with a productive out. Edwin Groff had a nice piece of hitting, punching a ball into shallow right field for an RBI single to give Kenyon an early edge before the inning ended.
Three second-inning singles with a stolen base mixed in produced another Kenyon run, but Ursinus avoided further trouble by stranding two Owls in scoring position. The scoreboard remained unchanged for the next four innings, and the Bears were down to their final two outs after flying out to start the seventh.
Ursinus kept their hopes alive with consecutive singles, but a fielder's choice upped the pressure on both sides at two down with the tying runs in scoring position. Lynch and the Owls nearly came away with a complete-game shutout, but an infield single to second brought in a run, cutting Kenyon's lead in half and forcing a pitching change.
First-year Jack Enger came out seeking his second save of the season, but the Bears were not ready to give in. Pinch-hitter Kyle Rosenfeld battled throughout a 10-pitch at-bat and worked a walk that loaded the bases. Ursinus hit a tricky ball toward the left field line, but Tripper Capps handled the hot corner and stepped on the bag to clinch Kenyon's fourth victory in as many games.
Lynch's final line included seven hits, four strikeouts, one earned run, and no walks over 6.2 stellar innings on the mound. Gaynor and Drew Robinson scored Kenyon's runs, while six Owls notched hits.
Game two was even more of a pitchers' duel, but Ursinus came out on top. David Morgan compiled a complete game and a shutout for his season's first win, throwing 7.0 innings with five strikeouts, two hits, and a walk.
Jackson Niedel was impressive in his first action of the year, going 4.2 innings with three strikeouts, two hits, and a walk, but a critical third-inning stretch was the difference between victory and defeat. The sophomore had a throwing error after trying to field a bunt, and two wild pitches helped a Bears runner get to third before the inning's first out. Another nicely placed bunt brought the unearned runner home to give Ursinus a 1-0 lead that stood as the game's final score.
Kenyon's best chance to score came in the top of the first when Zimmerman walked ahead of a Groff single, but the Owls did not have many opportunities after stranding the pair of runners. First-year Gio Giuliani hit a one-out single in the fifth and moved into scoring position after stealing second, but those two hits were Kenyon's only offensive output of the game.
The Owls have a day off before their next scheduled outing, a single nine-inning game against Lebanon Valley College on Wednesday, March 6. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. at the Lawnwood Baseball Complex.
