Sports

Bobcats fall to Flyers in close contest 

By: Andrew Rowan
Posted on: Wednesday, March 19, 2025

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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) – The Ohio Bobcats (5-14, 1-5 MAC) took on the Dayton Flyers (10-12) Tuesday at home for a mid-week matchup. The game would stay neck-to-neck throughout, going into extra innings and the Bobcats, despite their effort late in the game, would take the loss with a final score of 10-9. 

The Bobcats were first to put runs up on the board, starting in the bottom of the first with a line-drive up the middle by Sophomore Ben Slanker for an RBI double to put them up 1-0. They continued the hitting onslaught in the second with an RBI single from Freshman Matt Ineich to bring the score to 2-0. 

The Flyers looked to not go down that quickly, as early in the third inning Freshman Ryan Lujo hit a deep ball over the left field wall for a solo home run. Ohio answered back right after, as Sophomore JR Nelson hit a home run of his own to bring the Bobcat lead to 3-1. 

In the fourth it was the Flyers who took over, with batters making solid contact to drive in runners on-base to advance to 4-3. They also held Ohio Scoreless in the firth through a solid performance from relief pitcher James Heller, who picked up two strikeouts.  

Dayton kept putting pressure on the Ohio defense, who in return only hurt themselves as they would proceed to give up a run off of a wild pitch. They buckled down in the eighth however, going on to have their best offensive performance of the night to take the lead back at 8-6, highlighted by another RBI single from Ineich. 

But it wouldn’t last long, as in the ninth Dayton found themselves in a good position as Michael DiMartini reached third base off a bad read in right field. Then the Flyers got the break they needed as on the first pitch he saw, Lujo hit a bomb over the left field wall for a two-run homer, tying it up 8-8, taking the game into extra innings. 

First inning of overtime would see both teams again struggle to hold a lead, allowing each other to pick up an extra run to tie it at 9-9. At the top of the twelfth, the self-inflicted wounds came back to haunt them, as they allowed DiMartini to advance to third base off a wild throw. Then with Lujo up to the plate, they chose to intentionally walk him, putting runners at the corners. Their biggest blunder came right after and would cost them, with yet another wild throw on a pick-off at first base let DiMartini walk into home plate to give the Flyers the lead at 10-9. The Bobcats desperately needing a run fell short, as Flyers Closer Lukasz Rondeau would proceed to strike out the side to seal it for Dayton. 

Ineich ended the game going 3/6 with two RBI’s and one double. Lujo finished his night 5/6, with two homeruns and four RBI’s. 

“I want them to take the message is the lack of execution is going to cost you games,” head coach Craig Moore said on what he wants his players to keep in mind going forward in the season. 

The Bobcats have a chance to bounce back as they hit the road to play a three-game series against Toledo, starting Friday at 3 p.m.