Wooster, Ohio: The No. 1 Denison picked up conference play with a highly anticipated doubleheader against the Fighting Scots of Wooster. A rematch of last year's conference championship, the Big Red came into the matchup alone at the top of the NCAC standings while the Scots are fighting for a spot in the top four.  A relentless offensive showcase highlighted the game one 20-4 victory. Will Rettig moved to 9-0 on the year on the mound and earned his 27th career victory. In game two, the Big Red lineup mashed six homers to bring the total on the day to 10. With the pair of wins, the Big Red move to 27-1 on the year, 8-0 in the NCAC, and rattle off its 25th and 26th consecutive wins. The Fighting Scots drop to 21-12 on the season, and 4-6 in NCAC play. 

Game 1: No. 1 Denison 20, Wooster 4 (7 Innings)

On the road, the dangerous Big Red lineup wasted no time getting on the board fast. After Eron Vega drew a walk to open the game, Jack Lutte launched a no-doubter over the right field wall to take a 2-0 first-inning lead. Senior righty Will Rettig got his ninth start of the season on the bump. The Fighting Scots were able to grab a run of their own in the bottom of the frame to cut the Denison lead in half heading into the second.

The bats stayed hot in the second at-bat. Cade Nowik laced a double to right center to open the inning before a sacrifice fly from Andrew Fazio and a line drive double from Bobby Haarde moved the score to 4-1. Lutte remained hot and picked up another RBI with a double to left center to take a 5-1 lead. Wooster was able to steal a run back, but still trailed Denison 5-2.

Following a scoreless third inning, the Denison lineup posted four runs on five hits. Max Fishbein led off with a double before being scored by Fazio. With a 2-2 count, Eron Vega turned on an inside fastball to drill a two-run homer over the left field wall. Now up 8-2, Erik Sundgren smoked his first triple of the season into left center to score Lutte to take a 9-2 lead. The Fighting Scots were able to capitalize on the heavy wind as a fly ball carried over the right field wall to cut the lead to 9-3 going into the fifth.

With one out in the top of the fifth, Bobby Haarde scored Nowik with a perfectly placed bunt to move the lead back to seven. Lutte picked up his fourth RBI of game one with a sacrifice fly into deep center. Sundgren slammed an exclamation mark on the five-run inning with a three-run homer to right center to take a 14-3 lead. 

In the bottom of the fifth, the Fighting Scots cut it down to 14-4, but the Big Red were quick to respond in the top of the sixth. Nowik and Owen Miller put runners on before Fazio cleared the bags with a double to left field. Haarde scored Fazio to push the lead to 17-4. With a runner at second, Lutte turned on the first pitch that he saw to smash his second home run of the game to go up 19-4. In Rettig's final inning, the senior delivered a shutout frame to keep the lead at 15.

In the final inning, Nate Lloyd plated the 20th and final run after taking home on a passed ball. In the bottom of the frame, Cooper Marrs took over for Rettig on the bump. The sophomore retired three straight batters to close the game. 

Rettig earned his ninth win of the season to move to 9-0. With the 6.0 inning performance, Rettig remains tied atop Division III for victories and is four strikeouts away from setting the Denison career strikeout record. Marrs picked up two strikeouts in his lone inning.

The highlight of game one came in the batter's box. Lutte, Fazio, and Haarde were all perfect. Lutte tallied six RBIs alongside two home runs. Fazio tacked on four RBIs while Haarde collected three. Vega and Sundgren launched home runs. Sundgren added four RBIs to his season total and sits at 27 career homers, good for second all-time in Denison history. Collectively, the Big Red notched 16 hits on the day.

Game 2: No. 1 Denison 13, Wooster 5

To lead off game two, the Big Red took the early lead courtesy of an RBI double from Erik Sundgren. Senior Robbie Lee got his seventh start of the season. The righty went 1-2-3 in his first inning of work.

In the second, Max Fishbein picked up the lone hit of the inning with a big swing over the left field wall to take a 2-0 lead. Lee continued his outing in dominant fashion, retiring the side and slamming the door shut with a looking strike three.

To lead off the third frame, Eron Vega and Jack Lutte launched back-to-back solo home runs to take a 4-0 lead. A single from Cade Nowik scored Sundgren to push it to 5-0 in favor of the Big Red. Wooster was able to score its first run of game two in the bottom of the frame. 

In the top of the fourth inning, Fishbein stayed red hot and belted his second home run to the same spot to extend the lead to 6-1. Lee fired a scoreless frame to keep the lead.

The home run barrage continued into the fifth inning, as Kelly Crittenberger went backside to lead off the frame. A sacrifice fly from Bobby Haarde scored Brady Olsen grew the lead to 8-1. With the bases loaded, Sundgren recorded an RBI hit by pitch to take a 9-1 lead. Lee hurled another three-up, three-down inning to close the frame.

Crittenberger led off the top of the sixth with his second solo homer of the day, this time to right center, to take a 10-1 lead. In the bottom of the frame, the Fighting Scots loaded the bags with a pair of base hits and a hit by pitch. Lee responded with two strikeouts but the Wooster squad was able to cut the lead to 10-3.

In the top of the seventh, a single from Vega and a double from Sundgren plated two runs to put the Big Red up 12-3. In the bottom of the frame, senior Ryan Paganelis took over on the bump for Lee. The righty struck out one and rolled a double play to send the game into the eighth inning.

After Denison's first scoreless frame of game two, the Wooster lineup chipped away at the Denison lead with a two-run homer to cut the lead to 12-5. However, Sundgren picked up his fourth RBI of game two to get the lead back to eight. First-year Devin Parker closed the game on the mound for the Big Red, relieving for Andrew Montero who tossed the eighth inning. Parker shutout the Scots to secure the sweep over Wooster.

Defensively, Lee moved to 6-0 on the year with the win. Paganelis, Montero, and Parker all recorded strikeouts over 3.0 innings of relief. The staff totaled 10 strikeouts in the win.

In the box, Sundgren led the way with four RBIs but the duo of Crittenberger and Fishbein stole the show with two homers apiece. Vega and Lutte also left the yard. The lineup tallied 16 hits in the win.

Up Next: The Big Red will be back on the road on Monday, April 20, for an out-of-conference matchup against the Marietta Pioneers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.