GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The Ohio baseball team posted runs in five different innings and received home runs from the first two hitters in the lineup, but the Bobcats were beaten by UNC Greensboro 8-6 Sunday afternoon in the rubber match of a three-game set.

Brian Colopy (Columbus) and Phil Sabatini (Oakmont, Pa.) each hit solo shots, but a four-run third and a three-run fifth by the Spartans (7-4) were enough to keep Ohio (3-6) from taking the series.

Ohio would manage runs in four-straight innings, scoring two in the second and a single tally in the third, fourth and fifth. The bats cooled in the later half of the contest, however, as a shootout turned into a defensive battle down the stretch.

In the second, the Bobcats used a couple base hits from the bottom half of the lineup and capitalized on several UNCG pitching miscues to take the game?s first lead. Ben Crabtree (Roxbury, Conn.) led off the inning with a walk but was retired one batter later when Willie Walker (Marysville) reached on a fielder?s choice. Brian White (Frankford) singled to put runners at first and second and Matt Stiffler (Bellbrook) followed with a one-out walk to load the bases. The next hitter, Bryant Witt (Powell), was hit by a 1-0 pitch, scoring Walker and putting the Bobcats on top 1-0. Dusty Hammond (Bellefontaine) then singled to left, plating White and putting the Bobcats ahead 2-0.

The Spartans roared back in the home half of the second, though. Mike Mongiello reached on an error to kick-off the inning and made the Bobcats pay. The UNCG right fielder advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, to third on a wild pitch and scored on a fielder?s choice to second, bringing the Spartans to within one, 2-1, after two complete.

Ohio added another run in the third, benefiting from a lead-off base hit off the bat of Anthony Gressick (Lancaster), who started as Ohio?s pitcher. After a Crabtree fly out, Willie Walker singled to right, putting runners on the corners with one out. One batter later, White grounded into a fielder?s choice to short, allowing Gressick to cross with Ohio?s third run.

UNCG stormed back in the bottom half of the third and took its first lead. With one on and one out, centerfielder Jay Maule hit a two-run shot over the wall in left center, knotting the game at three. Danny McClure followed Maule with a double to left center and that marked the end of Gressick?s day on the hill.

Gressick, who stayed in the game as the designated hitter, allowed four runs on three hits in 2 1/3 innings of work. He struck out one and walked three.

Yale Silverman (Baton Rouge, La.) spelled Gressick on the hill and allowed an RBI single and an RBI double before getting the third out of the inning with the score 5-3.

For the third straight inning, though, the Bobcats lit up the scoreboard. After the first two batters of the inning were retired, Colopy continued his string of hot hitting and belted his first home run of the season over the wall in right to bring the Bobcats to within one, 5-4.

True to form, Ohio would strike again in the next inning. This time they?d revert to playing small ball to tie up the score. Walker led off the fifth with a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on a groundout and finally walking home on a Stiffler groundout to short.

The shootout continued in the bottom of the sixth with the Spartans scoring three to take an 8-5 advantage. A UNCG double and back-to-back singles to lead-off the inning plated the first run of the inning. A successful sacrifice bunt put two runners in scoring position with one away and prompted Ohio head coach Joe Carbone to go to his bullpen once again, this time calling on Dan Weiss (Cincinnati) to replace Silverman.

Weiss walked the first hitter he faced and as ball four went to the backstop, UNCG scored its seventh run. The next batter flied out to right, allowing Mongiello to tag up from third and score the Spartans? final run of the inning.

Silverman?s day ended after two innings of work, giving up four runs?all earned?on five hits. He threw 33 pitches in the outing, 24 for strikes, but he?d take the loss for Ohio, falling to 0-2 on the season.

The scoring cooled in the sixth and seventh, but Ohio carved into the lead in the eighth. Sabatini homered to lead off the inning, to put the Bobcats down 8-6. Ohio put a couple runners on later in the eighth, but nothing materialized.

Down a pair in the ninth, Jared Willis led off the inning with a single but would get no further.

Weiss didn?t allow an earned run, scattering three hits?all doubles?in the final 3 2/3 innings.

Gressick and Walker were Ohio?s lone multi-hit performers, as Gressick went 3-for-4 with a run scored and Walker went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

Maule led the Spartan attack, notching a 3-for-3 afternoon with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. The Ohio staff kept the top of the UNCG lineup quiet, limiting the first three hitters to zero hits in 13 at-bats.

Nick Starnes was the pitcher of record Sunday, earning his second win of the season. Starnes allowed five runs on six hits, striking out five and walking four in five innings on the hill.

After three weeks on the road, the Bobcats will open up the home portion of the schedule on Friday with a three-game set against Le Moyne at Bob Wren Stadium. First pitch for Friday is set for 4 p.m., while Saturday and Sunday?s contests will begin at 1 p.m.