Granville, Ohio: Riding a 16-game win streak, the No. 1 Big Red baseball team played in Granville for just the second time this season, this time against the Comets of Capital University. Decades ago, the two teams were in the same conference, with the Comets holding the all-time series record 55-49-1. In this year's edition of the long-time rivalry, the Big Red collected two wins, 15-1 in game one, and 11-0 in game two, to extend the season win streak to 18 and move to 19-1. 

Game 1: No. 1 Denison 15, Capital 1 (7 Innings)

Senior Will Rettig got his seventh start of the season in game one of Friday's doubleheader. The righty recorded a three-up, three-down inning to set the tone early for the showdown. The offense wasted no time getting on the board early, as Erik Sundgren, Cade Nowik, Cooper Marrs, and Bobby Haarde recorded RBIs in the bottom of the first to take an early 4-0 lead.

After a scoreless second inning and another dominant frame from Rettig, the bats tacked on six runs in the bottom of the third. A base hit from Max Fishbein and a perfectly placed bunt from Haarde put runners on before Jack Lutte belted a three-run homer over the right field wall to clear the bags. Sundgren and Andrew Fazio followed with doubles of their own to push the Denison lead to 10-0. 

Despite the double-digit lead, the offense stayed hot in the fourth inning. Nowik laced a double into left field before drawn walks from Marrs and Fishbein loaded the bags. Haarde recorded a sacrifice fly to tally the 11th run of the day before senior Tristan Kerr would launch his first career home run with a no-doubt bomb off the scoreboard to make it a 14-0 ball game.

In Rettig's fifth and final inning, the Comets forced their lone unearned run. However, the Big Red stole it back in the bottom of the sixth when a Jackson Loomis single scored Tyler Green to notch the final run of game one, and take a 15-1 lead.

In support of Rettig, senior Robbie Lee and Andrew Clifford made appearances out of the bullpen. Together, the staff combined for six strikeouts and two walks. The lone run allowed was unearned. Rettig picks up his seventh victory on the season (7-0) and tallies his 25th career win. 

The offensive performance was highlighted by the big swings of Lutte and Kerr. Sundgren and Lutte went 2-3 at the dish. The lineup swatted 14 total hits and recorded 15 RBIs in the win.

Game 2: No. 1 Denison 11, Capital 0 (7 innings)

First-year southpaw Andrew Montero made the start in game two. He fanned two in the first frame to collect his first of many strikeouts on the day. The Comets held Denison scoreless in its first at bat to send the game into the second still knotted at 0-0.

Montero caught fire, firing three straight strikeouts in the top of the second. The Big Red struck first in the bottom of the frame, as Cade Nowik and Kuyper Lashutka recorded RBIs to take a 2-0 lead.

Montero recorded another three-up, three-down inning. A string of hits from Jack Lutte and Erik Sundgren put runners on the base path for Jack Rollo to clear the bags with a double to right center. A double from Jack Steel and a single from Kelly Crittenberger would push two more runs across the plate to take a 6-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth, Montero would again strike out three batters in a row to maintain the shutout. The bottom half of the inning grew the Big Red lead, as Lutte scored Nate Lloyd with a sacrifice fly.

To close out the 5.0 inning performance, Montero recorded two K's in the top of the fifth to bring his total to 11 strikeouts and keep the Comets at zero. To grow the lead, the Big Red plated three runs courtesy of RBIs from Kuyper Lashutka, Crittenberger, and Lloyd to extend the lead to double digits.

Senior Ryan Paganelis relieved Montero on the mound in the top of the sixth. The righty kept the Capital lineup at bay, recording three straight outs. The offense scored its 11th and final run of the day in the bottom of the sixth, courtesy of an RBI single from Carson Herman.

After Paganelis, first-year Devin Parker would close the game in the top of the seventh. The trio of Denison arms collected 15 strikeouts and allowed just 1 hit in the 7.0 inning shutout.

At the dish, the Big Red notched 11 hits and 11 RBIs in the 11-0 win. Crittenberger was a perfect 2-2.

Up Next: The Big Red will be back in action next Wednesday, April 8th, to take on the Little Giants of Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Game one is scheduled to start at 12 p.m.