GRANVILLE, Ohio (May 17, 2024) – The No. 2 nationally-ranked and top-seeded Denison University baseball team began its quest for its first NCAA World Series appearance in program history with a 15-1 win in a two-hitter over fourth-seeded Hanover College in the very first game of the Granville Regional in the 2024 NCAA Baseball Tournament.

In a game that started five hours after it was originally scheduled to due to weather, the Big Red bats had no problem getting going.

Taking on the 2023 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Pitcher of the Year in Marcus Goodpaster (5-2), Denison was able to score at least three runs in each of the first three innings and in all, scored 10 runs on nine hits throughout the first three innings.

In the first inning, a single to right field by Noah Leib brought in Eric Colaco with one out to score the first run of the regional. Colaco got into scoring position after singling through the left side and then stealing second base and setting a new single-season program record in the process with 39 stolen bases. Colaco has now broken the single-season stolen bases record in each of his first three collegiate seasons.

Erik Sundgren ended the top of the first inning with a sliding catch in center field, and then he smacked a two-run double off the wall in right field to make it 3-0 Big Red in the bottom of the first inning.

It was a four-hit first inning for Denison. In the second inning, Leib's second RBI-hit in as many innings came as he drove a two-run double to right center field to make it 5-0 Big Red; and then in the third inning, Alex Vasquez hit a two-run home run to left field before Jack Lutte followed it up with a solo shot to right field. It was the first-career home run for Vasquez and was Lutte's third home run of the postseason.

With a 10-0 lead behind him after the back-to-back jacks by the Big Red in the bottom of the third, Will Rettig (9-0) was perfect through 3.2 innings before issuing a two-out walk in the top of the fourth.

Denison's third home run of the game came with a solo blast to right center field by Leib in the bottom of the sixth. It was his seventh home run of the season as far and his third in the postseason, and was good for his fourth RBI of the game.

Rettig, meanwhile, had a no-hitter going through 4.1 innings, pitched 1-2-3 top of the sixth and seventh innings, and finished with a one-hitter in seven innings pitched. Rettig walked just one batter and struck out five, and somehow was even more impressive than his one-hitter in the Granville Regional last season as a freshman. In that outing, a 7-0 win over Spalding University, Rettig finished with 6.2 innings pitched allowing just one hit and three walks while striking out four.

Owen Wilson singled in each of his first three at bats, drew a walk in his fourth at bat, and added an RBI-single in the bottom of the eighth to finish 4-for-4.

Leib was 3-for-4 with four RBI's, three runs scored, a home run and a double, and was just a triple shy of the cycle.

In addition to his first-career home run, Vasquez scored three runs and finished with a career-high six assists from his defensive position at second base.

With its 40th win on the season, Denison (40-6 overall) sets a new program record for wins in a single season.

Next up, Denison will play at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, against the winner of Rowan University and Millikin University.