COLUMBUS, Ohio - March 16, 2024 - The Hiram baseball team split its doubleheader with Capital on Saturday afternoon, as a two-homer performance wasn't enough in a Game 1 loss (7-2) but the offense erupted for 19 runs in a Game 2 win (19-7).

Game 1 Recap

It was a low-scoring, tightly contested opening game of the day through five innings, as Capital scored a run in the second inning to mark the only offense by either team during that span. Jack Conley was superb on the mound, as he kept the margin within one run throughout the early stages of the game.

The offense provided the Terriers with a boost in the middle innings, as Evan Fairbanks hit his third home run of the season in the sixth inning and Matthew Trimble hit his second home run of the season in the seventh inning. Both solo shots flew over the left-field wall to give Hiram a 2-1 lead.

Capital struck for six runs in the bottom-half of the seventh inning, which ended Conley's day with a final line of 6 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 10 K. Hiram couldn't muster a comeback in the final third of the game, but still had a lot of positive takeaways moving into Game 2.

Game 2 Recap

The Terriers scored 19 runs in Game 2, which is tied for their third-most runs in a single game in program history. The team had 42 runs against Lake Erie in 2002, 21 runs against William Penn in 2001 and 19 runs against D'Youville in 2013. The team's 23 hits in the game were also the second-most in a single game in program history (34 hits vs Lake Erie in 2002).

Each of the first five hitters in the Hiram batting lineup had multiple hits and multiple RBI: Chaisson Marrs (two hits, three RBI), Ethan Lyke (career-high four hits and career-high three RBI), Connor Bansek (two hits, three RBI), Hal Walker Jr. (career-high five hits, three RBI) and Trimble (two hits, two RBI). For Walker Jr., the five hits also tied a program record for a single game – Shane Haidet (at Denison, 2014), Randy Miller (vs Juniata, 2011) and Mike Midea (at Grove City, 2023) have all previously accomplished the feat in a Hiram uniform.

Hiram didn't let up, scoring multiple runs in each of the first four innings of the game. The team hung six runs on the scoreboard in both the second and third innings, as the lineup continued to turn over. Each of those five aforementioned student-athletes had six plate appearances in the game.

As a team, the Terriers reached base safely on 23 hits, four walks and one hit by pitch. Seven different student-athletes had multi-hit performances, with Logan Gallentine, Fairbanks and Ben Yoder also joining that hit parade.

It was an offensive clinic for a team that is now back over .500 (6-5) for the 2024 season.

What's Next

These two teams will return to the diamond on Sunday for the rubber match of the three-game series. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. from Clowson Field in Columbus, Ohio.