With the first game of their North Coast Athletic Conference cross-over series game against Oberlin College looming, the Tigers' baseball team closed out the regular season dropping a 7-1 decision to the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology on Wednesday night.
Keepings arms fresh for the weekend set with the Yeomen may have been DePauw University’s main concern, as they used six different pitchers, none lasting more than 2.1 innings. Despite this fact, pitchers from both teams dominated the game’s early stages.
Sophomore Riley Futterknecht started the game for the Tigers and pitched the first two innings. Futterknecht didn’t allow any runs or hits despite surrendering three walks.
Replacing him came senior Nick McCreary who kept the no-hitter going, hitting two batters but still surrendering no hits or runs through the fourth inning.
Things went bad for the Tigers in the fifth inning, however. After retiring the leadoff man on a groundout to third, McCreary allowed a single, ending DePauw’s hopes of piecing together a no-hitter. After McCreary walked the next batter, DePauw manager Jake Martin replaced McCreary with sophomore Michael Hammel.
Hammel quickly allowed a single to load the bases and then allowed the first run of the game to score on a passed ball. The big blow came later in the at-bat, when Rose-Hulman’s Schnitz brought home the remaining two runners with a triple.
Schnitz would come across to score on the very next at-bat after an unassisted groundout to first base was enough to get him home.
The Engineers added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh on a throwing error and an RBI single that pushed their lead to 7-0.
Meanwhile, Rose-Hulman’s Daniel Sutherland was making quick work of the the DePauw lineup. Sutherland worked seven innings giving six hits and one earned run, while striking out just one.
The Tigers finally got to Sutherland in their half of the eighth inning. Sophomores Ryan Grippo and Reid Pittard, along with senior Collin Henry all hit singles to lead off the inning and load the bases.
Junior Lucas Italiano hit into a fielder’s choice that retired Grippo at the plate but left the bases loaded for the Tigers. Sophomore Rick Okazaki got the Tigers on the board in the next at-bat, singling home Pittard.
Rose-Hulman reliever Chuck Alexa got the Engineers out of the inning with their large lead still intact by striking out junior Connor Einertson and sophomore Jack Thompson to leave the bases loaded.
The Engineers also got the lone run back in the their half of the eight on a solo home run from Donnie Waters to push the lead back to six and round out the scoring at 7-1.
The Tigers out hit the Engineers 9-6 but in the end, still fell. Eight DePauw players collected base hits, but Pittard was the only Tiger with a multi-hit game.
The loss means the Tigers close out regular season play with an overall record of 14-22 yet they finished the season with an 11-5 record in conference play.
The Tigers will play three games against Oberlin this weekend in the NCAC cross-over series. The Tigers and Yeomen will play a doubleheader on Saturday with games 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. The teams will wrap up the series at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
