GREENCASTLE, Ind. -- The Kenyon College and DePauw University baseball teams lined up for a battle between two of the top baseball teams in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). The Owls got back on track in impressive fashion in the second game, securing a split of their twin bill against the Tigers with a 17-5 victory, bouncing back with an expedited, eight-inning win due to run rule after falling 9-3 in game one.

Kenyon maintained their hold on the No. 4 seed in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) after splitting the day against hosting DePauw, who slots in above the Owls in the league standings. Both teams moved to 19-12 overall this season, but the Tigers are 9-3 in conference contests while the Owls are 6-6.

Despite coming out on the wrong end of a 9-3 game one, the Owls were first on the board thanks to a Dustin Lee RBI in the top of the second inning. However, DePauw responded with a run in the bottom of the frame and took a 2-1 lead in the third.

Lee was part of Kenyon's next run when he came around to score on a Gio Giuliani RBI, tying the game in the top of the fifth. The Tigers had another answer, this time tacking on two runs in the inning to reclaim the lead. DePauw pulled away a couple of frames later with a five-run seventh inning, setting the stage for their win despite Giuliani providing a spark in the eighth with his first career home run. 

Giuliani (2) and Lee (1) accounted for all three of Kenyon's RBIs, and the duo combined to hit 3-for-6 as Lee was 2-for-4 and Giuliani was 1-for-2. Unfortunately for Kenyon, the rest of the Owls combined to go 3-for-25 (.120) at the plate.

That changed in a big way in game two when Kenyon's bats woke up, and the team hit 16-for-38 (.421). After being held to just six runs over a three-game losing streak, the Owls offense broke out of a slump and exploded for a season-high 17 runs. 

Kenyon looked to be in great shape with a five-run second inning, but DePauw countered with their own five-spot in the third frame. That five-run blip is the only time the Tigers managed to break through, and the Owls orchestrated an even bigger inning when they scored seven runs in the fifth. The visitors tacked on two more in the seventh and three in the eighth, clinching the 17-5 win after eight innings. 

Giuliani stayed hot in the second game, going 2-for-4 with three runs, three RBIs, a triple, a walk, and a stolen base. The first-year hit 3-for-6 with five RBIs and four runs across the two games. Nate Rosen and Malcolm Gaynor matched Giuliani's three game-two RBIs. Rosen had a huge game in the leadoff spot, going 3-for-5 with four runs, three RBIs, a solo homer, a walk, and a stolen base. Luke Meister tied Rosen for the team lead with three hits, while Ben Nash, Lee, and Tripper Capps all notched two knocks to round out the six Owls to have multiple hits.

Noah Rosenberg earned the win in game two after 2.2 scoreless innings of relief, improving to 2-1 this season. Christian Harris had the best day of any Kenyon pitcher, earning his season's second save after 3.0 shutout innings behind Rosenberg that saw just three Tigers touch base. In game one, Andrew Catron had the best outing, allowing an inherited runner to come around but posting 1.2 scoreless innings on his own ledger.

After making the trek to Greencastle, Kenyon has one more road trip on deck before closing the season out at home. The Owls will head to Hiram, Ohio, to take on Hiram College in a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 30, before welcoming Capital University to Gambier for a single, nine-inning game the next day. Kenyon's regular season ends in a week when they host NCAC-leading Wittenberg University, and the Owls will be looking to maintain their hold on a top-four spot in the NCAC standings to qualify for postseason play.