OBERLIN, Ohio – April 3, 2024 – The Terriers swept Oberlin for the third time in the last four seasons on Wednesday afternoon at Dill Field, beating the Yeomen twice (6-2 and 9-6) to even their conference record at 2-2.
Junior Jacob Koces twirled a gem on the mound behind a few home runs in Game 1, while Connor Bansek fueled the offense in a come-from-behind effort in Game 2.
Game 1 Recap
The long ball proved to be Hiram's friend this time around, as the Terriers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning on a two-run homer by Matthew Trimble and a solo shot by Evan Fairbanks. One inning later, Tyler Fernandez made it a five-run margin on a two-run single to right-center field.
That was all Koces needed to carry his team the rest of the way, as the right-hander stayed around the strike zone and didn't allow an extra-base hit. The Yeomen also couldn't record more than two hits in an inning against Koces, who finished with a winning line of 7.1 IP, 7 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 6 K.
Trimble finished the game with a team-high three RBI thanks to an RBI single up the middle in the ninth inning. Oberlin answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the frame, but a fielder's choice put a halt to the rally.
The game marked Hiram's first conference win of the season and its first victory over Oberlin since May 2022.
Game 2 Recap
Despite trailing 4-2 through the end of the third inning, Hiram stuck with its opposition and did more than enough to pull out the doubleheader sweep. Bansek had his best game of the season at the plate, ripping a career-high three doubles, which included a two-run double to break the scoring barrier in the first inning.
After Oberlin scored four straight runs, Hiram put together a run of its own in the middle innings. Two unearned runs came around to score in the fourth frame before Fernandez and Fairbanks each lifted a sacrifice fly in the following two innings to give Hiram a 6-5 advantage.
Sam Boyle weathered the storm on the mound, working through a pair of home runs and departing the game with his team leading by one run. His final line earned him his team-high third victory of the year: 5.2 IP, 11 H, 5 R/ER, 0 BB, 3 K.
Landin Wescott and Nicolas Chernitsky combined for 3.1 innings of one-run ball, while the offense tacked on another three runs to close out the conference victory. Ben Yoder and Chaisson Marrs each had RBI singles to provide key insurance runs.
What's Next
Hiram will continue conference play on Saturday, when it travels to Delaware, Ohio for a twin bill with Ohio Wesleyan. First pitch is at 12 p.m. from Littick Field.
