Ohio Baseball Drops Back and Forth Contest with Ohio State
By: Gabe Genovesi
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Ohio got swept over the weekend in a three game series at Northern Illinois, and the Bobcats were hoping to get back to their winning ways Tuesday against in-state foe Ohio State.
Instead, the Buckeyes had other plans. Six runs in the final two innings gave Ohio State a 10-8 victory in comeback fashion at Bob Wren Stadium.
First Three Innings
After no score in the first two innings, Ohio State got on the scoreboard first in the top of the third. Freshman, Nolan Clegg hit a 2-run home run off Ohio starting pitcher Joe Rock to give the Buckeyes a 2-0 lead.
Innings 4-6
Ohio State added another run in the top of the fourth on a RBI single off the bat of catcher Brent Todys, and Ohio faced an early 3-0 deficit.
The Bobcats quickly erased that deficit in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Treyben Funderberg knocked in a run with a RBI single to make the score 3-1.
Then, redshirt-freshman Cole Revels crushed a grand slam over the right field wall to give Ohio a 5-3 lead.
Revels QUOTE …
Ohio added to the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Senior, Rudy Rott launched a solo home run. Then, Trevor Hafner scored from third after a throwing error by Todys of Ohio State to make the score 7-3.
7th Inning
After allowing three early runs, Rock settled down. The Bobcats starting pitcher did not allow another run. Rock pitched 6 2/3 innings and struck out four Buckeyes.
QUOTE
However, the Ohio bullpen couldn’t hold the lead. The Buckeyes scored an unearned run in the seventh to cut the Ohio lead to 7-4.
8th Inning
Then Ohio State completed the comeback in the top of the 8th inning. With two outs and two runners on, Todys hit a 3-run home run to knot the game at 7-7. Todys went 3-for-4 with 4 RBI for the game.
The Bobcats offense wasn’t done though. Ohio regained the lead when Revels came through in the clutch once again and delivered an RBI single.
9th Inning
Smith then brought closer Brett Manis in to pitch the 9th. With runners on 1st and 2nd and two outs Manis battled with Buckeye first basemen Conner Pohl.
Pohl won the battle.
A two-out, two-strike RBI single tied the game at 8-8.
The Buckeyes weren’t done. The next batter, Dillon Dingler, doubled home two runs to cap off the two out rally for Ohio State.
Down 10-8 with three outs left, Ohio needed a rally of their own.
They didn’t get it. The Bobcats went down in order and Aaron Levy struck out looking to end the game.