ATHENS, Ohio - Behind six strong innings from freshman right-hander John Angelicchi (Woodmere, Ohio), the Ohio baseball squad won its ninth contest in the last 10 outings 5-1 over Otterbein Tuesday evening at Bob Wren Stadium.

Angelicchi (2-0) faced the minimum 18 batters and allowed just two Cardinals (12-6) to reach base. He finished with six strikeouts, fanning the side in his sixth and final frame, and scattered just two hits without a walk.

?I thought he threw very well, said Ohio Head Coach Joe Carbone. ?He got his breaking ball over for strikes.?

Reigning Mid-American Conference Player of the Week Ben Crabtree (Roxbury, Conn.) and Jared Willis (Logan W.Va.) contributed three hits apiece to combine for half of Ohio?s 12-hit offensive attack.

After Angelicchi retired the side in order in the top of the first, the Ohio (12-13) bats got to work in the home half.

Leadoff hitter Bryan Buck (Hudson, Ohio) was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on a single by Brian Colopy (Columbus, Ohio), and scored on a sacrifice fly by Phil Sabatini (Oakmont, Pa.) for the game?s first tally. After Colopy was caught trying to steal second for the second out of the inning, Anthony Gressick (Lancaster, Ohio) cranked his first home run of the season over the left field wall to put Ohio ahead 2-0. Crabtree then doubled down the left field line and was brought home one batter later as Willis doubled to the gap in right center for a 3-0 lead.

The early run support was all that Angelicchi would need as he held the Cardinals in check throughout his third collegiate start.

The Bobcats added a fourth run in the bottom of the third when Crabtree and Willis hit back-to-back singles and Crabtree scored on Willie Walker's (Marysville, Ohio) sacrifice fly for a 4-0 lead.

Another Ohio tally came in the fifth as four straight hitters reached ? all with two outs. Crabtree and Willis recorded consecutive hits for the third time in the game and pinch hitter Brian White (Frankfort, Ohio) drew a walk. With the bases loaded, Bryant Witt (Powell, Ohio) was hit for the second time in the game to force Crabtree home for a 5-0 lead.

The Cardinals finally broke through in the seventh off Ohio reliever Zeke Isaacs (West Carrollton, Ohio). After a walk to Mike Satanek, Bobby Wright took an Isaacs offering off the base of the wall in left center to bring home Satanek for the final run of the contest, 5-1.

With a 12-game hitting streak on the line, Witt had a lineout, was hit by a pitch twice, and was retired in his final at-bat on a shot deep in the hole at second that Otterbein?s Satanek stabbed and threw for the out.

Isaacs pitched three innings of two-hit ball in relief, struck out four batters and only allowed the one run.

Starting at designated hitter, Willis upped his season batting average to .432 (19-for-44) with three more hits.

?Jared has been hitting the ball well all year,? Carbone said. ?We need his bat so we?re going to try to find some way to get him in the lineup more often.?

Ryne Ratliff (2-1) took the loss for Otterbein after he allowed five runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings of work. Trevor Horn recorded 3 1/3 scoreless innings out of the Cardinals? bullpen with four strikeouts.

The Bobcats will be back in action Wednesday night at Bob Wren Stadium when they host West Virginia State. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.