Tigers Drop Pair At NCAC Rival Denison

GRANVILLE, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers fell to 4-13 overall and 1-7 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) West Division with losses of 8-1 and 9-7 at Denison.

The twinbill served as the opening day of a four-game series hosted by the Big Red. Denison improved to 11-9 overall and 4-2 in the league.

The opener was dominated by Denison, which scored runs in five of six innings in which they batted. Wittenberg's lone response came in the sixth inning as junior Will Cousins (Medfield, Mass./Medfield) hit a single to right field that scored freshman Timmy Bates (Westerville, Ohio/South).

Sophomore Dalton Boucher (Granville, Ohio/Granville) started and was charged with four earned runs on three hits and three walks in 2.1 innings. Senior Frank Sullivan (Milford, Ohio/Milford) went the rest of the way, allowing four earned runs on five hits and four walks.

Game 2 appeared to be headed for a repeat performance as Denison built an 8-0 lead through the first five innings of the nine-inning contest. The Tigers got on the board with a two-run single from senior Mike Burgher (Birmingham, Mich./Seaholm) in the sixth inning.

Trailing 9-2 in the top of the ninth inning, the Tigers came up with a five-spot to nearly push the game into extra innings. Sophomore Cal Slusarz (Chesterland, Ohio/West Geauga), Boucher and Bates each contributed RBI singles and freshman Eli Goolsby-Broschart (Indianapolis, Ind./Scecina Memorial) capped the rally with a two-run double.

Junior Luke Black (St. Paris, Ohio/Graham) took the loss after starting and pitching four innings, allowing six runs (four earned) on six hits and two walks. Four relievers combined to allowed three runs over the final five innings.

Burgher led the offense with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate, while Goolsby-Broschart and Slusarz each finished with two hits in the game.

Written By: Ryan Maurer