Sports
Ohio Baseball Wins Series against Notre Dame
By: Nick Ursini
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Ohio (19-23) came into this weekend with a tough task at hand, playing a power five conference opponent in Notre Dame (25-18). Ohio was able to shake off the opening game loss and win the second and third game to take the series.
Friday’s game was nothing short of a pitcher’s duel. Right-handed starting pitcher Jake Mill threw five solid innings for Ohio, striking out two while giving up one unearned run on five hits.
Fighting Irish starting pitcher Peter Solomon struck out 10 over six innings for the Fighting Irish. He allowed one earned run on six hits and four walks. The Irish got on the board in the second inning. Junior Kyle Fiala reached base when he was hit by a pitch. He then advanced to third after a passed ball and a productive groundout by senior Kyle Richardson. Junior Ryan Lidge knocked him home with a two-out line drive single to right field, giving the Irish a 1-0 lead.
The Bobcats knotted the score at one-all in the ensuing frame. Manny De Jesus sent a leadoff single to center and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After back-to-back walks by freshman first baseman Rudy Rott and Mitch Longo, De Jesus scored one out later on a single to center by Cody Gaertner.
The Fighting Irish broke through again in the home half of the seventh inning for the winning run in the pitcher’s duel.
Junior second baseman Cavan Biggio drew a one-out walk, then moved up to second one out later on a single to right center by senior designated hitter Ricky Sanchez. That set the stage for Vierling’s RBI single to left center that drove in Biggio.
Saturday’s game was postponed due to rain in South Bend, pushing Sunday to a double header for games two and three.
Game two started very fast for both the Bobcats and the Fighting Irish. De Jesus reached after getting hit by a pitch. Ty Black singled, Longo ripped a double into left field scoring De Jesus. Rott followed with a single that sent Black home making the lead 2-0. Gaertner made the score 3-0 after a sac fly.
Notre Dame came back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first making the score 3-2. Ohio tacked on another run in the third, but blew the game open after a four run sixth.
Notre Dame stormed back with a three run seventh, but was unable to recover as Ohio held them off 8-5, evening up the series.
Ohio jumped out to an early 2-0 lead following a single from John Adryan and a sac fly by Spencer Ibarra.
Connor Sitz got the start for Ohio. Sitz went four innings surrendering one run on five hits. Relief from pitchers Gerry Salisbury, Eddie Fitzpatrick and Logan Jacik, Notre Dame did not cross the plate once after Sitz exited the game after the fourth inning.
The Bobcat bats came to life, adding to their lead with two runs in the fifth, three in the sixth, and two in the eight.
Ohio closed out the series with their dominant 9-1 victory.
The ‘Cats have a quick turn around as they head south to take on the Morehead State Eagles. First pitch is set for 5:00 pm Tuesday night.