The Denison Big Red baseball team split Sunday's North Coast Athletic Conference doubleheader at Oberlin College.  DU won the opener 9-0, but suffered a 9-3 setback in the nightcap.

In game one, senior Dale McOsker picked up his second win of the season behind a solid performance on the hill.  McOsker scattered three hits and struck out six batters en route to his first-career shutout.

The DU offense was sparked by a six-run third that featured five Big Red hits and an error by the Oberlin defense.  Justin Vaske and Josh Butler got things going with back-to-back one-out singles, while a walk to Evan Nicholson loaded the bases.  Tim Duxbury drove in the first run after reaching on a throwing error by the Yeomen shortstop.  With the bags still juiced, senior Matt Forgatch dropped a two-run single into left center that scored Nicholson and Butler.  Andrew Mahle followed with another base hit that knocked in Duxbury.  With runners at the corners, designated hitter Lowell Hall belted a double into left center that cleared the bases and gave Denison a commanding 6-0 lead.

Nicholson tacked on a run in the fourth with an sacrifice fly to right that scored Vaske.  In the sixth frame, DU plated two more runs to extend their lead to 9-0.  Duxbury scored after Hall was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, while senior Peter Krieger hit a sacrifice fly to center that allowed Forgatch to come home.

Forgatch was 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs, while Duxbury and Vaske each had two hits and scored twice.  Hall also added two hits and drove in a game-high three runs.  OC's Eric Knight suffered the loss after giving up seven runs on 10 hits in five innings.  Ben Kauder, Max Phinney and Ethan Blumenthal were responsible for the three Yeomen hits.

In the second game, Oberlin scored three runs in the opening frame and added four more in the third to take a commanding 7-0 lead.  Forgatch blasted a solo home run to right center in the fourth, but the Yeomen answered with two in the bottom of the inning.  In the fifth, DU pushed across two more runs thanks to a double by Butler and a SAC fly from Nicholson.

Forgatch paced the Big Red offense with two hits, while Kyle Clemmenson and Butler each had a double.  Starter David Holmes took the loss after giving up three runs on two hits in an inning of work.  Oberlin's Ryan Mouch picked up the victory after surrendering three runs on three hits in five frames.

Denison moves to 15-16 on the year and 7-5 in the NCAC, while the Yeomen sit at 11-13 and 2-6 in the league.  The Big Red return to action on Thursday (April 14) when they host Muskingum University at 6 p.m.