Farewell Phoenix

I apologize for not updating the blog more frequently. With two games a day in the Phoenix heat I was usually physically and emotionally spent by the time we returned to the hotel.

The last couple of days have been very up and down. At times we have played great baseball and other times we have struggled to keep it together. I imagine it is all growing pains of a fairly young squad.

We managed to sweep Knox College in two close games on Monday. Freshman Drew Mixter pitched a fantastic game to take the win in game two. We did not play our best ball but still managed to scrap and pick up two victories.

Yesterday we split with a perennially ranked team in Gustavus Adolphus. In game one, freshman Jason James took the hill and limited the Gusties in his 6-plus innings of work. Senior P.J Carter came on to finish the game after a few runners reached in the 7th.

Today we played a doubleheader against Thomas College. Game one ended in a dramatic fashion. We struggled all day to come up with timely hits but in the 7th we broke loose. Ben Master lead off the inning with a single to right. I followed Master by reaching base on a hit by pitch. I think I got hit like ten times on this trip. I have bumps and bruises all over.

Anyways, after a Thomas error, we had the bases loaded with zero outs with fellow senior Jeremy Simon was at the plate. Simon bounced a high hopper down the third base line for a 2-RBI single closing the game to 6-4 in Thomas' favor.

We then found ourselves in a 6-4 deficit with runners on 2nd and 3rd with Ben Kauder at the plate. Kauder laced a line drive to right, plating the two runners. The game was won on a shot down the left-field line by P.J Carter.

Game two was all Oberlin. Southpaw Jack Dunn commanded both sides of the plate and was brilliant in his five innings on the hill. Dunn exited with a commanding 9-0 lead. We held on to win 9-2 and finish our Phoenix campaign with a .500 record (6-6).

Thank you for following the teams success this week. Wish us luck the rest of the year as we look to make a push towards the playoffs.

Brian Verne
Oberlin College '09