GAMBIER, Ohio -- The Kenyon College and Oberlin College baseball teams had to wait a week to face off on McCloskey Field after their North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) doubleheader was postponed from April 17 to April 24, but the teams did not have to wait long for results as both ends of the twin bill flew by on the chilly Wednesday afternoon. Kenyon's pitching and defense kept the Yeomen in check, but Oberlin's hurlers were even better as the visitors ousted the Owls in both games.

The Yeomen won game one 4-2 thanks primarily to strong pitching backed by a four-run third inning. In game two, Oberlin held on for a 2-1 win despite a two-out rally from the Owls in the bottom of the ninth inning. Kenyon fell to 18-11 and 5-5 in NCAC contests, while Oberlin rattled off a third straight win after eight consecutive losses, improving to 14-17 overall and 3-7 against conference foes. 

Oberlin's Calvin Burkholder was the star in game one, holding down Kenyon's offense over nine innings on the mound. The complete game was the first-year's second this season, and he approached 130 pitches on the day. An outing after allowing 10 runs in 3.0 innings, Burkholder conceded just two runs, one earned, on seven hits while striking out three Owls and walking none.

Dustin Lee had the most success at the plate for Kenyon, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Malcolm Gaynor picked up the team's other RBI, and he was one of five Owls to hit 1-for-4. The home offense brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning after Edwin Groff kept Kenyon's hopes alive with a two-out single, but the Owls could not complete the comeback.

Peyton Hodges was saddled with the loss on the mound, falling to 3-2 on the year. The first-year pitched well overall in a season-high 5.0 innings, but a third inning that featured a few unlucky plays provided all four Oberlin runs and proved to be the difference. Fellow first-year Jack Enger was excellent in relief, throwing a season-high 4.0 innings that featured two strikeouts and just one hit.

Oberlin maintained their game-one momentum when the visitors opened game two with a two-out run in the top of the first. The visitors welcomed Jackson Yelland with consecutive singles, but the Owls turned a 4-6-3 double play to flip the script. However, a third single drove in a run, putting the Yeomen on top early. 

Besides that quick run, neither team really threatened to score over the first seven innings. The two squads combined for just eight hits over the stretch despite just two combined strikeouts. Both pitchers induced soft contact and benefited from strong defensive efforts.

Through 7.0 innings, Yelland allowed just one run on five hits, striking out one and walking none. The senior walked the leadoff batter in the eighth, and Oberlin scraped another run across after a sacrifice bunt ahead of a shallow RBI single, knocking Yelland off the mound. Fellow senior Noah Rosenberg helped continue Kenyon's stellar pitching performance, inducing two outs on two pitches in relief.

On the Oberlin side, Grayson Black blanked the Owls over 8.2 innings, allowing just four hits and a walk while ringing up a pair of strikeouts. It was a surprising outing for the first-year, who entered the game with a 9.00 ERA over just two innings pitched in one pitching appearance. 

Despite another gem by a Yeomen hurler, Kenyon's offense got off the mat and battled to keep the game going. Gaynor worked a two-out walk, and Tripper Capps singled to knock Black out of the game. Luke Meister welcomed the new pitcher with an RBI single up the middle, putting the Owls on the board and the winning run on base. Things kept going Kenyon's way when Lee worked a walk to load the bases, the fourth straight Owl to reach base with two outs. Groff stepped in, looking to come through in a big spot like he did in the ninth inning of game one, but a groundout ended the game and cemented Oberlin's sweep.

Up next, Kenyon takes a long trip to Greencastle, Indiana, to match up against DePauw University. The NCAC doubleheader is set to start at noon on Saturday, April 27.