On Wednesday, the baseball team began its hour-long journey south to the College of Wooster for its third and fourth North Coast Athletic Conference games this season. Off to a promising start, the Yeomen were 12–8–1, matching their win total from last season. The doubleheader against Wooster would be a good test against a strong conference opponent. 

About 40 minutes into the ride, most players were either sitting quietly with headphones on or dozing off for a pregame nap. While driving down an unassuming country road, the horn of the bus suddenly screamed out, and a loud bang came from the left side of the bus. 

“Oh my God,” Assistant Coach Eric Urban yelled out.

The bus slowed to a halt. Most players were confused, unsure what had just happened. 

After reversing about 100 feet back to the scene, everybody realized they had collided with an Amish horse and carriage.

Head Coach Johnathan Ray, Urban, and the bus driver rushed out to make sure everyone was okay. The horse, which had been going in the opposite direction on the one-lane road, had gotten startled and run into the side of the bus. The carriage lost control and veered off the road into a ditch. State troopers later arrived at the scene. No major injuries occurred.

“Obviously, we wanted to make sure the horse was okay, but more importantly, [we cared about] the seven kids that were in the carriage,” Ray shared afterward.

Despite now being late to the game and having an abbreviated warmup, the team was unfazed. Second-year pitcher Matthew Ruttkay turned in his best performance of his collegiate career, throwing 7.2 innings of shutout ball. Fellow second-year Ryan Robinson tallied two hits, including a triple. First-year Shane McKenna shut the door for a 5–0 shutout victory over a formidable Wooster team that went to the NCAC championship last year. Fourth-year catcher Anton Shelton ripped his first career home run in the second game, continuing his impressive senior season in which he boasts a 0.393 batting average. The Yeomen battled in game two but ultimately fell short to a 12–6 defeat, leading to a series split on the day. 

Division III baseball is often described as a unique experience. In the past four years alone, the baseball team has had plenty of unprecedented encounters. In a 2023 game against Chatham University, pitchers had to throw their bullpens on an outdoor public basketball court while kids were engaged in a pickup game. In 2024, an 11-inning victory against Capital University finished in total darkness. Also that season, a game against Allegheny College was delayed because the ball could not be seen amid heavy snowfall. Last season, before a doubleheader against Capital, players and coaches had to dig canals and shovel standing water to make the field playable. With 40 games a season, a graduating Oberlin baseball player will have 160 games under their belt. It creates enough bus rides, road trips, and strange incidents to create what can best be described as folklore.

“I was just happy to see that everyone was alright,” third-year first-baseman Kyle Baxt shared.