GAMBIER, Ohio -- In what seemed like a result fit for the first day of April, the Kenyon College baseball team picked up a pair of walk-off wins on Tuesday against the Hiram College Terriers. The Owls weren't fooling around on their home field in game one, opening the day with a big 14-4 win clinched due to run rule in the eighth. Don't be fooled, however, as Kenyon (9-10, 2-2 NCAC) did not have it as easy against the Terriers (7-10, 0-4 NCAC) in game two, where they had to make a comeback in extra innings before another walk-off capped a 5-4, 11-inning victory to secure the doubleheader sweep.

The Owls offense stuffed the stat sheet on the day, combining for 19 runs and 25 hits over the twin bill. The home hitters were locked in during the first game as the top eight spots in the order all accounted for at least one hit, and the team worked 11 walks. The 14-4, eight-inning final could have been even more lopsided had the Owls plated more of the dozen runners they left on base.

Still, Kenyon had no trouble scoring early and often and bounced back from a mid-game lull with more offense late. The Owls tacked three runs on the board in each of the first two innings and led 7-1 through three frames.

Hiram bounced back thanks to runs in four straight innings, and the Terriers pulled to within three at 7-4 by the top of the sixth. Kenyon's offense was not done, however, as the Owls got back on the board with a run in the bottom of the sixth before exploding for a five-run seventh stanza. Then, in the eighth inning, Niko Price put the game away with a walk-off RBI single that enacted the 10-run mercy rule.

Edwin Groff had a huge game one, and he fittingly played a part in Kenyon's first and last runs of the game, while adding a few more in between. The senior was designated as the hitter, and he filled the role well with a game-high four hits. Groff also scored a game-best four runs, including the game-winner, and added three RBIs.

Dustin Lee, Price, and Nate Rosen all had multi-hit games as Kenyon's top five hitters combined to go 11-for-22 (.500) with 11 runs and seven RBIs. Lee landed a big blow with a three-run homer in the second inning, his season's fourth home run. Ben Resnick and Luke Meister also had multiple RBIs.

On the mound, Lewis Cropper (2-1) earned the win after pitching 5.0 innings. He allowed just three runs (two earned) and five hits while striking out four. Jack Enger secured his season's first save after 3.0 strong innings in relief where he struck out three and allowed just one run.

Game two was a much different story as Hiram struck first with a run in the second inning. The Owls had a quick answer in the bottom of the frame as Meister and Robbie Coates batted in runners to put Kenyon up one, but the offense had a tough time getting going afterward. Hiram's Sam Boyle pitched well over 7.0 innings, working efficiently and holding the Owls to just three runs while striking out four. 

Despite the four-inning offensive drought, Kenyon took a 3-2 lead in the seventh after another RBI from Coates, who finished the game going 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs and a run scored. 

Isaiah Vance was rolling in relief after strong showings by Peyton Hodges and Chris Cannuscio, but Hiram hit a crucial solo homer in the eighth inning to tie the game at 3-3. Owen Cooper came on in a big spot and picked up three outs on just four pitches against the heart of Kenyon's order, and the game needed more than nine innings to be decided as the teams remained tied into the 10th.

Hal Walker Jr., one of the best hitters in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) and at the Division III level early in the season, had a huge hit in the top of the 10th, putting Hiram ahead 4-3. However, Vance kept the Terriers there, surviving hits by the first two batters.

The pressure was on in the next half-inning, and Coats came through with a one-out single to turn the lineup over. Rosen followed up with a single before another out, bringing Groff to the plate with two on and two out. Needing at least a run to stay alive, Groff hit a blooper to center field that allowed Coates to come around to tie the game. Rosen was out at home on the play as the Owls pushed the envelope, but the team tied the Terriers to stay alive.

Vance got two quick outs in the top of the 11th, but Hiram loaded the bases after a single and two walks, one of which was issued by Jackson Niedel. However, Niedel bounced back and forced an integral groundout to end the inning and strand three Terriers.

The big hold had the Owls batting with a chance to win in the bottom of the frame, and Lee led off with a single before Tyler Nee worked a one-out walk to put a runner in scoring position. With two on and one down, Meister mashed a double off the left-field wall. Though the senior missed out on a walk-off homer by less than a foot, the knock still did the job and brought Lee around to score the winning run in the 5-4 walk-off.

Up next, the Owls will head to Wittenberg University for a tough road test against one of the NCAC's top teams. The doubleheader is scheduled to start at noon on Saturday, April 5, in Springfield, Ohio.