ATHENS, Ohio ? Ohio climbed out of an early 4-0 deficit but a four-run Marshall fifth carried the Thundering Herd to an 9-6 victory Saturday in Mid-American Conference baseball at Bob Wren Stadium.

Marshall (11-19, 6-5 MAC) scored three times in the first and once in the second to build a lead they?d never relinquish. Ohio (14-14, 5-4 MAC) pulled to within one, 4-3, but four runs?all with two outs?in the fifth sealed the Marshall victory.

?We got down 4-0 early and had to play catch-up,? said Ohio Head Coach Joe Carbone. ?Guys tried to do too much and you play a little tighter than you normally do. We hit some balls hard right at some people but just couldn?t seem to catch a break.?

Ohio?s eight and nine hitters?Dusty Hammond (Bellefontaine, Ohio) and Bryant Witt (Powell, Ohio)?combined for four hits and four runs. Anthony Gressick (Lancaster, Ohio) drove in three of Ohio?s six runs.

The Herd jumped out to an early lead, as the first five hitters reached safely. After a walk and a base hit led off the Marshall first, right fielder Joe Glevenyak singled through the left side and drove in the game?s first run. The next hitter walked to load the bases and another walk allowed one more to cross. With that, Ohio starter Rob Harmon's (Villa Hills, Ky.) day came to an end with no outs in the first. Harmon (3-3) was pulled after two hits, three walks and the bases loaded.

Carbone opted for Dan O?Rourke (Monongahela, Pa.) out of the bullpen, and the senior right-hander was instantly effective. The first batter O?Rourke faced hit a sacrifice fly to center, plating Marshall?s third run. He retired the next two batters on groundouts and got out of the inning free of any further damage. Still, after one half inning, The Herd led 3-0 and equaled its run output from Friday?s 12-3 defeat.

After Ohio went in order in its half of the first, Marshall?s offense added one more in the second. A double, walk and single loaded the bases with no outs. O?Rourke induced a 5-to-2 force on the next batter, but another sacrifice fly?this by Aaron Jamieson?plated Marshall?s fourth run one hitter later. O?Rourke struck out the next batter to retire the side, stalling the Marshall threat after just one runner crossed.

The Bobcats broke through in the third, relying on the bottom of the order to get on and the top of the order to get them in. Hammond and Witt led off the inning with back-to-back doubles and turned it over to the top. Leadoff hitter Bryan Buck's (Hudson, Ohio) sacrifice fly to left field scored Hammond and put Ohio on the scoreboard for the first time. Walks by Brian Colopy (Columbus, Ohio) and Ben Crabtree (Roxbury, Conn.) loaded the bases with two outs and Gressick at the plate. The first baseman promptly hit the first pitch back through the box, scoring two and cutting the Marshall lead to one, 4-3.

Marshall threatened in the top half of the fourth, but stellar Bobcat defense cut down a potential run. With two outs and runners at first and second, Aaron Levinson?s ground ball got through the Ohio infield. Just as the first Marshall runner was about to cross the plate, Willie Walker (Marysville, Ohio) fielded the ball in center and threw out the second Herd base runner at third. The tag was applied and the third out was called before the run crossed the plate, keeping the game at 4-3.

An inning later, however, Marshall did tack on another run. With two outs and runners on first and second, an Adam Ptacek ground ball was just out of Witt?s reach at short, driving home Brad Helm and increasing Marshall?s lead to 5-3. An Adam Frederick single pushed across another run and spelled the end of O?Rourke?s relief outing.

O?Rourke threw 4 2/3 innings, surrendering five runs on seven hits, striking out three and walking one.

Yale Silverman (Baton Rouge, La.) came on in relief and surrendered two more runs in the fifth. The first hitter he faced, Glevenyak, singled to make the score 7-3 and after hitting Jamieson, a wild pitch pushed across one more. Marshall scored four times in the inning, all with two outs, and took an 8-3 lead.

Ohio quickly carved into the Marshall advantage in the bottom half of the fifth. Phil Sabatini (Oakmont, Pa.) reached on a hit-by-pitch, advanced to second on a Crabtree double and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Gressick. That?s all they?d get in the inning and Ohio still trailed by four after five complete.

The Bobcats utilized the bottom of the order once again to cut into the lead. Hammond singled to lead off the inning and came around to score on Witt?s second double in as many at-bats. With a runner in scoring position, no outs and the score 8-5, Marshall skipper Dave Piepenbrink went to his bullpen for the first time and replaced starter Chris Cummings (2-1).

The right-hander exited after five innings, allowing six runs on six hits, striking out three and allowing five free passes. He?d take the win for Marshall, his second of 2005.

The new Marshall hurler, Brendon Bump, allowed an infield hit to Buck to put runners on the corners. Colopy followed with a groundout, scoring Witt and putting the score at 8-6.

Marshall pushed one more across in the ninth, putting a three-run cushion on the board.

Ohio was held quiet in the final three innings and denied their fourth straight win. Harmon took the loss for Ohio and falls to .500 on the season.

?They just tacked on a run here and a run there and we couldn?t stop the bleeding,? Carbone said. ?We?ve got to give Marshall credit. They?re pitchers were better than our pitchers and their hitters were better than our hitters.?

The Marshall offense pounded out 16 hits, led by Frederick who went 5-for-6 with three runs and an RBI. Glevenyak and Jamieson combined for five hits, four RBIs and a run scored.

With one hit, Crabtree extended his hitting streak nine games. Witt has now hit safely in 14 of the last 15 games.

Carbone, who won his 500th game on Friday night, was honored prior to Saturday?s contest. The 17-year skipper has won more games than any coach in any sport at Ohio University.

Marshall and Ohio will meet in the rubber game of the series Sunday afternoon. The Bobcats will send Gressick (1-1) to the hill, while Marshall?s starter is still to be determined. First pitch at Bob Wren Stadium is slated for 1 p.m.