Tigers Clipped by Capital 8-4 in Game of Opportunities

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio—Scoring opportunities came early and often for Tigers baseball at home Wednesday night, but the ability to cash in when they needed to alluded the team in a 8-4 defeat to Capital University. Facing their second OAC opponent in as many days, Wittenberg could not find the big hit they needed against the Crusaders, as all four of their runs came in the fourth inning. In a game that saw 13 different toe the rubber at Carleton Davidson Stadium, it was the eight Tiger pitchers who scatter 14 hits and seven earned runs in the loss. Wednesday night's game serves as the prelude to NCAC play for the program, as the Tigers now prepare to travel to Greencastle, Indiana to take on DePauw University in the opening weekend of conference play.

GAME BREAKDOWN

• Wittenberg spotted Capital four runs early before the team's bats woke up in the fourth, as Timmy Bates (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville South) and Dalton Boucher (Granville, Ohio/Granville) each recorded hits that resulted in two-RBI's.
• The tie proved to be short lived, as the Crusaders were able to regain the lead in the top of the fifth inning, 5-4.
• Capital added late runs in the eighth, and ninth innings to push their lead to 8-4, where it would hold as the final out was recorded.

KEY STATS

• On the bases, Wittenberg was able to steal four more bases in the game, while senior catcher Will Cousins (Medfield, Massachusetts/Medfield) was able to gun-down two Crusaders trying to swipe second-base.
• The Tiger offense stranded ten runners in the game, while walking six times and striking out three.
• Seven different Tigers recorded hits in the loss, while Bates paced the Tiger offense with two hits and two RBI's.

UP NEXT

• Wittenberg takes their 4-8 record into the weekend against DePauw with a double-header on April 2 and April 3.
• Both twin-bills are set to start at noon, with game two following immediately after.

Written By: Kuris Duggan