Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Big lead lost, dramatic home run swatted, letdown suffered, history made.

All in a day's work at Schweickert Field.

John Carroll and Capital opened Ohio Athletic Conference play with a tumultuous twinbill that ended up with both teams earning a win in much different fashions. The Blue Streaks won the opener by a 10-7 count in eight innings, after which the Crusaders pounded out over 20 hits and 20 runs in a 21-6 romp.

Box Scores:  Game One  /  Game Two

The Blue Streaks led 6-1 entering the fifth inning behind the strong pitching of Jimmy Spagna. Two runs in the first and four more in the second had seemingly staked John Carroll a comfortable cushion.

But the Crusaders took advantage of some free passes and defensive miscues to extend the fifth frame. When the dust settled, six Capital hitters had crossed the plate to take a 7-6 lead.

The Blue Streaks were able to tie the score in the bottom of the sixth at 7-7, but neither team tallied a run in the seventh to force extra innings.

After Capital came up empty in the top of the frame, John Carroll had its chance. Joe Veltri drew a one out walk, after which Bobby Sabatino singled. One batter later, with two on and two out, Mitchell Herringshaw delivered a titanic three-run walk off home run.

Tyler Ferretti and Kevin Rosinski each pitched one and two-thirds innings of hitless and scoreless relief, with Rosinski earning his first collegiate win.

Herringshaw finished the game with five RBI, and his three hits shared the team lead with Ryan Konsler.

Game two was never a contest as Capital scored in every inning but one in handing JCU its worst loss of the season. 

The only Blue Streak highlight came in the seventh inning, when senior Tom Hickey delivered a two-out, two-run single. The single itself had little impact on the outcome but it made history nevertheless. It was Hickey's 185th career hit, making him the all-time hits leader in JCU baseball history. He began the day tied for first place in the John Carroll record books at 184 hits with Craig Recko and Jim Wideikis.

John Carroll is now 8-9 overall and 1-1 in the OAC while Capital is 12-8 and 1-1 in league play.