ATLANTA, Ga. – The Oglethorpe University baseball team delivered an offensive showcase and a gritty late-game push Saturday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader with Berry College. The Stormy Petrels dominated game one in an 11-1 rout before rallying late in game two, ultimately falling just short in a 9-7 decision. With the split, Oglethorpe moves to 1-1 in the series heading into Sunday's final matchup, carrying strong momentum from an explosive day at the plate.

Game One: Oglethorpe 11, Berry 1

Oglethorpe wasted no time setting the tone in the opener, combining dominant pitching with relentless offensive production to secure an emphatic 11-1 victory.

The Petrels struck first in the opening inning as Ryan Causey delivered an RBI single to bring home Trey Kinnan, capitalizing early on patient at-bats. After Berry briefly tied the game in the third, Oglethorpe responded immediately with a two-run frame highlighted by Causey's RBI double and Brick Conway's run-scoring single.

From there, the Petrels pulled away behind a massive middle-innings surge. Causey continued his standout performance in the fifth inning with a two-RBI single, extending the lead and igniting a stretch in which Oglethorpe scored eight unanswered runs.

The sixth inning proved to be the decisive blow. Oglethorpe plated five runs on a string of quality at-bats, including RBI singles from Cade Eidam, Kinnan and Conway, along with a sacrifice fly from Aiden Hosford. The inning showcased the lineup's depth, as the Petrels consistently moved runners and delivered with men on base.

Oglethorpe added an insurance run in the seventh, finishing with 11 runs on 15 hits in one of their most complete offensive performances of the season.

Causey led the charge, going 3-for-4 with five RBIs and a double. Evan Smallwood was a catalyst at the top of the lineup, finishing a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI, while Kinnan reached base four times, scoring three runs and adding two hits. Conway contributed a two-hit, two-RBI performance, and Eidam added two hits and a run driven in.

On the mound, Tyler Hower delivered a commanding outing, tossing a complete game while allowing just one run on two hits. The right-hander kept Berry off balance all afternoon, working efficiently through seven innings to earn the win.

Game Two: Oglethorpe 7, Berry 9

The Petrels carried their offensive momentum into game two, racking up 14 hits and battling back multiple times, but came up just short in a tightly contested 9-7 loss.

Oglethorpe broke through in the third inning as Kinnan drove in a run before Smallwood launched a two-run home run to give the Petrels an early 3-1 advantage. The offense continued to apply pressure in the fourth inning, when Ethan Snipes delivered a two-RBI single to extend the lead to 5-2.

Berry answered in the middle innings, but Oglethorpe refused to back down. In the seventh, Kinnan sparked a rally with a triple and later scored to cut into the deficit. The Petrels continued to chip away in the eighth inning when Nick Morgan delivered an RBI double to tie the game at 7-7.

Despite the comeback effort, Berry regained the lead late, and Oglethorpe was unable to capitalize in the final frame.

Offensively, Smallwood paced the lineup with a three-hit performance, including his home run and two RBIs. Kinnan added two hits, including a triple, while Snipes drove in two runs. Morgan finished with two hits and an RBI, and Jace Armstrong contributed multiple hits, including a double, as part of the Petrels' 14-hit effort.

Game Notes

• Oglethorpe totaled 29 hits across the doubleheader, including 15 in the game one victory.
• Causey drove in five runs in game one, one of the highest single-game RBI totals by a Petrel this season.
• Smallwood recorded six hits on the day, highlighted by a home run and two RBIs in game two.
• Hower tossed a complete-game two-hitter in the opener, allowing just one run over seven innings.
• The Petrels produced five extra-base hits in game two (three doubles, one triple, one home run) while finishing with 14 hits.  

Up Next

The Petrels finish the series against Berry Sunday, April 19, at 12 p.m.