ATHENS, Ohio - Ohio On a night in which Bobcat Head Coach Joe Carbone needed just one more victory to reach 500 for his career, Derek Witt (Powell, Ohio) pitched a complete game and Ben Crabtree (Roxbury, Conn.) drove home five runs to send the longtime Ohio skipper into elite company with a 12-3 victory over Marshall Friday night at Bob Wren Stadium.

With the victory, Carbone became just the fourth coach in Mid-American Conference history to reach the 500-victory plateau. In his 17th season at the helm of the Ohio program, Carbone has averaged just more than 30 victories a season and has compiled an overall record of 500-388-1.

?Coaches don?t win games, players do,? Carbone said. ?It just means I?m old and I?ve been here a long time.?

Witt (4-2) recorded the second complete game of his career in the Bobcat victory and didn?t allow an earned run as he scattered 10 Marshall hits in the first nine-inning outing by an Ohio pitcher this season.

Crabtree finished a season-high 4-for-5 at the plate with 5 RBIs and Willie Walker (Marysville, Ohio) hit his first career grand slam to lead the Bobcat offensive explosion.

The Bobcats (14-13, 5-3 MAC) were the first to strike as they manufactured a run in the bottom of the first. With two outs, Phil Sabatini (Oakmont, Pa.), Crabtree, and Anthony Gressick (Lancaster, Ohio) hit three-consecutive singles ? the third of which brought home Sabatini for the game?s first tally.

A season-high eight runs crossed the plate in Ohio?s second at-bat as the first seven batters reached base on Marshall (10-19, 5-5 MAC) starter Chris Koutsavlis. Brian White's (Frankfort, Ohio) leadoff walk got things started and singles by Bryant Witt (Powell, Ohio) and Dusty Hammond (Bellefontaine, Ohio) loaded the bases. A fielder?s choice on contact by Bryan Buck (Hudson, Ohio) scored White for the first tally and Brian Colopy (Columbus, Ohio) followed with a double to right field that plated Bryant Witt and an intentional walk to Sabatini loaded the bases for the second time in the inning. Marshall then went to the bullpen and reliever Brian Knippelmeyer. Crabtree immediately greeted him with a double to left field that scored Buck and Colopy for a 5-0 lead. Jared Willis (Logan W.Va.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases again and pinch hitter Walker sent a shot over right centerfield wall for his first career grand slam to push the Bobcats out front 9-0.

Ohio?s next three runs all scored courtesy of Crabtree. The Bobcat catcher had an RBI single in the third frame and hit a two-run homer in the fifth to extend the Ohio advantage to 12-0. The home run for Crabtree was the 28th of his career and moved him into eighth place on Ohio?s all-time list.

?Ben is one of those guys who has been a starter for us all four years. He catches the ball, he throws the ball, he?s got power, he?s a gamer, and he plays hard ? he does all those things for us,? Carbone said. ?I?m happy that he?s having a great senior year.?

With a plethora of run support, Derek Witt cruised through the first six innings, allowing just five Marshall batters to reach base and striking out the side in the fifth inning.

?He?s always ahead in the count, he throws strikes all the time, he competes and fields his position well,? Carbone said. ?He just does everything that you want a pitcher to do.?

The Herd did break through on Witt, however, with three runs in the top of the seventh. Two Bobcat errors and RBI singles by Adam Ptacek and Aaron Jameison put Marshall on the scoreboard for the first time. The rally was too frugal, however, and proved to be the only highlight on the night for the Thundering Herd.

Koutsavlis (2-3) took the loss for Marshall. The junior southpaw, who was hit by a hard liner on his throwing arm in the first, allowed six runs in just 1 1/3 innings before handing the ball off to Knippelmeyer.

Jamieson finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs for The Herd.

The Bobcats have now eclipsed .500 for the first time since a season-opening victory over Western Kentucky in February 2004. Ohio has now won 11 of its last 12 and three in-a-row.

The second game of the series is scheduled for a 7 p.m., start Saturday. Rob Harmon (3-2) will take the hill for Ohio against The Herd?s Chris Cummings (1-1). Carbone will be honored for his achievement with a ceremony that will take place during the game.