By: Andrew Korba

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- The Hiram College baseball team dropped the final two games of the 2016 season at Wittenberg on Sunday.

The Tigers (12-27, 4-14 NCAC) took the opener by a 10-8 score and won the second game, which was counted as a non-conference tilt, 17-8.

In Game 1, Wittenberg jumped out to a 1-0 lead after one inning of play, only to see the Terriers (7-28, 4-15 NCAC) tie the game in the third on a sac fly from sophomore Phil Ward (Garfield Heights, Ohio/Garfield Heights).

The Tigers took the lead back in the bottom of the third, but Hiram would answer again in the top of the fourth on a solo homer from junior Brandon Gros (Ravenna, Ohio/Kent Roosevelt).

Wittenberg would take the lead right back in the bottom of the fourth with a run, only to see Hiram jump in front in the fifth on a 2-RBI single by Gros.

The Tigers would retake the lead in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three times to open up a 5-4 lead.

Yet again, Hiram would have an answer, plating four more runs in the sixth inning to open an 8-5 edge.

Junior Brandon Chesmar (Elyria, Ohio/Amherst Steele) drove in two runs and Ward followed with a 2-run homer to close out the scoring.

But Wittenberg would hold the Terriers scoreless the rest of the way and tied the game in the bottom of the sixth and added two more runs in the seventh for the 10-8 victory.

Ward collected two hits, while driving in three runs and scoring twice. Chesmar also had a solid game, going 3-for-3 with two RBI's and two runs scored.

In the nightcap, it was all Wittenberg early, as the Tigers raced out to a 16-1 lead after three innings, thanks to a 10-run second inning.

The Terriers got a run back in the fourth as Ward blasted his second homer of the day and third of the series. Wittenberg would come right back with a run in the bottom half of the fifth.

Hiram added two runs in the sixth inning on a 2-RBI single by junior Corey Stamco (Lorain, Ohio/Amherst Steele). 

The Terriers would also score four times in the seventh innings, benefitting from a few Tiger miscues, but could get no closer.

Ward finished 2-for-2 with two more RBI's and a run scored in the loss.