The Oberlin College baseball team traveled down south to Kentucky this past weekend and delivered an impressive series win over the Berea College Mountaineers, securing wins in two of the three games.
The Yeomen wasted no time asserting their dominance in the series opener with a commanding 13–0 win over Berea. Leading the way was second-year pitcher Calvin Burkholder, who delivered a phenomenal performance, earning North Coast Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week honors.
Burkholder was unstoppable. The Aurora, CO native threw a complete shutout, striking out nine batters and allowing only three hits and one walk over seven innings. His efficiency was on full display, needing only 84 pitches to finish the job and enforce the mercy rule.
“Obviously, at the end of the day, winning is the most important thing, and if I can go out to the mound with my best stuff that day and shut out a team, then I’m putting us in the best chance possible to win a ballgame,” Burkholder said. “Winning Pitcher of the Week is a huge honor. The NCAC has some of the best teams in all of D3 baseball, with some of the best arms as well, so to earn this honor any given week is something I don’t take lightly.”
Oberlin’s batters capitalized on Burkholder’s dominance, tallying 14 hits. The Yeomen steadily built their lead, building on Berea’s defensive miscues with their own clutch hitting. First-year second baseman AJ Senga recorded his first collegiate hit with a single in the third inning, extending Oberlin’s advantage. He later delivered a two-run triple in the fifth. Aggressive baserunning also played a role. Fourth-year third baseman Zachary Ritts stole multiple bases and forced errors that led to additional runs. By the seventh inning, Oberlin had built a 13–0 lead, clinching the victory.
The second game proved to be a tougher battle, but the Yeomen emerged victorious with a 6–2 win. Second-year pitcher Grayson Black took the mound and, despite a rocky first inning in which Berea plated two runs, settled in nicely. Black finished with 5.2 innings pitched, striking out nine while allowing just two runs.
“After struggling in the first inning, it was super encouraging to have my teammates’ full support and belief in me when I got back to the dugout,” Black said. “That calmed me down and allowed me to settle in, pitch with confidence, and help the team get the win.”
The Yeomen chipped away at the deficit and took the lead in the third inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, second-year right fielder Brady Groves worked a walk to bring in a run. Third-year catcher Anton Shelton followed with a clutch single to center, putting Oberlin ahead 3–2. First-year left fielder Daniel Devapalan nabbed his first collegiate hit in the fourth inning — an RBI single through the left side — extending the lead to 4–2. Shelton continued his hot streak in the fifth with an RBI double, giving Oberlin a 5–2 cushion. The Yeomen bullpen was stellar, with fourth-year Max Wassarman and Ritts combining for 3.1 scoreless innings, striking out four batters and shutting the door on Berea.
Oberlin had its sights set on a series sweep but fell short in the final game, dropping a hard-fought 8–7 contest.
First-year Samuel Labrecque took the mound for his second career start but faced early trouble. Berea jumped out to a 4–0 lead in the first inning and later extended their advantage to 5–2 in the fourth. Oberlin fought back with determination.
First-year center fielder Dylan Norman sparked the comeback with his first collegiate hit in the third inning, eventually leading to two runs. Second-year first baseman Kyle Baxt and Ritts delivered RBI hits to keep the Yeomen within striking distance. The Yeomen took their first lead of the game in the eighth inning. Baxt doubled and scored on a single from Shelton. A pair of wild pitches and an error allowed Oberlin to plate three more runs, giving them a 7–6 advantage. However, the lead was short-lived. In the bottom of the eighth, first-year reliever Kaes Carter allowed a leadoff walk before surrendering a two-run homer down the right-field line, putting Berea back in front 8–7. Despite a strong relief appearance from second-year Micah Rodriguez, who struck out both batters he faced, Oberlin couldn’t mount a rally in the ninth, falling just short.
Despite the disappointing loss in the third game, the Yeomen left Berea with a series win and valuable momentum. The team’s strong pitching performances, disciplined at-bats, and aggressive base running indicate that Oberlin has the tools to compete at a high level this season.
Third-year outfielder Zack Masnikoff emphasized the team’s preparation and belief in their potential.
“We mainly had a defensive focus this week in practice, and on the offensive side, we were looking to stay through the middle of the field and the opposite field gap, which I believe led to a lot of our success this week,” Masnikoff said. “We have a young team this year, so as the season progresses and as we get to play more games and gain experience, I think this team is definitely capable of competing for a playoff spot and a championship.”
Oberlin sits at 2–5 on the season, while Berea moves to 1–5. The Yeomen will look to build on this series win as they prepare for a doubleheader this Saturday at Asbury University.
