Tigers Pull Out Doubleheader Sweep Over Oberlin

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - Winning baseball starts with quality pitching. With performances like the Tigers got on Saturday from senior starters Jason Holmberg and Steve Less in a doubleheader sweep of visiting Oberlin, Wittenberg may well put some wins in the column this year. 

Wittenberg improved to 17-13 overall with victories of 9-6 and 4-0 over Oberlin in nonconference action at Carleton Davidson Stadium. The Tigers have won three straight games, heading into a return trip to Thomas More on Tuesday. The Saints captured a 19-8 decision over Wittenberg on Wednesday in Springfield.

Oberlin took advantage of three Wittenberg errors to manufacture six runs in the opener, but only two of those were earned as Holmberg won for the sixth straight time in the 2006 season. The Yeomen held a 6-4 lead until the Tiger offense finally cranked up, rallying for five runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Errors were the key to Wittenberg's rally as well, and several Tigers came up with timely hits to make the errors hurt. Freshman Jacob Michael tied things with a two-run single, and that was followed by a sacrifice fly by sophomore Tyler Christello, an RBI grounder by senior shortstop K.R. Schlievert (reached on an error) and a run-scoring single by junior Andrew Wellman. Freshman Chris Green pitched a scoreless seventh inning to record his first career save.

In the nightcap, Less needed just an hour and a half to mow down the Yeomen. In recording his first career one-hitter, Less struck out nine batters. He improved to 3-3 on the season and lowered his earned run average to 1.90.

Offensively, the Tigers were efficient as well, parlaying seven hits into four runs without any significant rallies. The big hit was provided by Wellman, who hit his first career home run.