HIRAM, Ohio - April 11, 2021 – Hiram College baseball dropped a home doubleheader on Saturday against the Kenyon College Lords, falling 10-1 in game one and 6-1 in game two. The Terriers fall to 7-17 (2-6 NCAC) following the doubleheader, while the Lords move to 3-1 (3-1 NCAC).
GAME 1: KENYON 10, HIRAM 1. The Lords got to starter
Robert James quickly in the top of the first, tagging James with three unearned runs to take a 3-0 lead.
The Lords then added another in the top of the second on Will Sturgeon's solo home run, extending their lead to 4-0.
In the top of the third, Kenyon added two more to extend their lead to 5-0, but
Sam Boyle got out of the jam and settled things down over the next few frames.
The Terriers got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third, scoring their lone run on a wild pitch with the bases loaded, bringing home
Cole Bates to cut Kenyon's lead to 5-1.
But after two scoreless frames by Boyle, the Lords got back on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth, doubling their lead to 10-1. And while the Terriers put runners on in both the sixth and seventh, Zach Frizzera finished off the complete game for the Lords to give Kenyon a 10-1 victory.
James (1-3) took the loss for Hiram, while Frizzera (1-0) earned the win for Kenyon.
Bates led the Terriers at the plate, going 0-for-1 with two walks and a run scored, while
Evan Fairbanks,
David Paus and
Fred Wright each added a hit.
Ben Gustely pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless relief for the Terriers, striking out a pair.
GAME 2: KENYON 6, HIRAM 1.
Jacob Kocuba worked around a one-out double to pitch a scoreless top of the first, but after the Terriers went in order in the bottom of the frame, Kenyon struck first in the second.
Two singles and a balk put runners on second and third for the Lords, who scored four runs in the inning on four RBI singles, before Kocuba struck out the final two hitters to leave three men on.
And after Hiram left another two base runners on in the bottom of the second, Kenyon looking to add to their lead in the top of the third.
Three singles loaded the bases again for the Lords against Kocuba, but Kocuba again struck out a pair of Kenyon batters, this time getting out of the inning unscathed.
The Lords would add another run to their lead in the top of the fourth, before
John Lusnek relieved Kocuba to start the fifth. Lusnek worked around a two-out walk, and the Terriers responded to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame.
With runners on first and second,
Michael Corsillo doubled down the right-field line, scoring
Andrew Church from second to cut Kenyon's lead to 5-1. But a groundout ended the inning, and although Lusnek pitched a 1-2-3 sixth, the Terriers went in order in the bottom of the inning.
Kenyon scratched out an insurance run in the top of the seventh, and although the Terriers loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, bringing the game-tying run into the on-deck circle, Sam Richards struck out
Evan Fairbanks to finish off the 6-1 win for the Lords.
Kocuba (2-3) took the loss for Hiram, allowing five runs on 12 hits, striking out six over 4.0 innings pitched, while Richards (2-0) earned the complete-game win for the Lords.
Lusnek pitched 3.0 innings of relief for the Terriers, allowing just one run on two hits, striking out two.
Corsillo led the Terriers at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
The Terriers will look to bounce back when they travel to Meadville, Pa. for a doubleheader against Allegheny College on Thursday, April 15, beginning at 12:00 p.m.
