GRANVILLE, Ohio (March 20, 2022) – The No. 15 Denison University baseball team played at home for the first time during the 2022 season, and played on its new turf infield for the first time. In the end, the Big Red split the two games of their doubleheader against Case Western Reserve University, dropping game one 6-5 before bouncing back with a 8-1 win in game two.
 
Game 1 (No. 15 Denison 5, Case Western Reserve 6):

• The Big Red scored first with a three-run bottom of the second inning on just two hits as Noah Leib scored on a passed ball, Jake Welsch scored on an RBI-groundout by Owen Wilson and Daniel Spencer scored on a double down the left field line by Eric Colaco.
• Colaco then hit an RBI-triple in the bottom of the fourth to score Spencer for the second time in the game before scoring himself on the ensuing RBI-single down the left field line by Payton Burch to make it a 5-2 Denison lead.
• Unfortunately, back-to-back two-run singles for the Spartans in the top of the fifth put the visiting team ahead for good as the Big Red had only two hits over the final four innings.
• In the bottom of the ninth inning, Charlie Glennon walked with two outs and then stole second to get into scoring position as the tying run, but a swinging strikeout ended the game.
• Colaco finished 2-for-4 with three stolen bases, two RBI's, a double and a triple while Ari Fierer was 2-for-5.
• Relief pitchers Henry Haack (3.2 innings, 3 hits) and George Viebrock (1 inning, 0 hits) combined for 4.2 innings not allowing a run to keep it at a one-run deficit.

 
Game 2 (No. 15 Denison 8, Case Western Reserve 1):

• Denison got on the board with an RBI-double to left field by Danny Alvarez scoring Burch in the bottom of the fourth before scoring five runs on four hits in the bottom of the sixth.
• Those five runs would prove to be important as Case came up with a solo home run in the top of the seventh that would have tied it just a half inning before.
• Denison's starting pitcher, Trey Holland (1-0), allowed only one hit and two walks while striking out six in his five innings of scoreless baseball before giving way to Nick Falter, who pitched 3.2 innings allowing three hits and one run.
• Will McManaman then entered with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, and got a swinging strikeout to end it.
• Welsch finished 3-for-4 with three RBI's while Fierer was 3-for-4 as well.

 
Records:

• No. 22 Denison moves to 8-4 while Case moves to 6-9.

 
Next Up: Denison will remain at home next weekend for a three-game series against Transylvania University. The two teams will play a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. on Saturday, March 26, before playing a single game at 12 p.m. on Sunday, March 27.