ATHENS, Ohio ? IPFW collected 39 hits and scored 22 times Sunday, taking both ends of a doubleheader, 12-5 and 10-8, over Ohio in non-conference baseball action at Bob Wren Stadium.

The Mastodons posted two runs in the first inning of game one and never let the lead slip away, then used a four-spot in the first frame of game two and runs in five different innings to capture a series win.

?IPFW was just a lot better team than we were today,? said Ohio Head Coach Joe Carbone. ?They out-pitched us, they out-hit us and they out-fielded us. We have no excuses.?

Game One:
Behind solid pitching and a 22-hit attack, IPFW dealt Ohio a 12-5 loss in the first game of Sunday?s doubleheader.

Limited to just two hits by Bobcat hurler Derek Witt (Powell, Ohio) in the series opener, the IPFW lineup got to starter Anthony Gressick (Lancaster, Ohio) for three early runs and tacked on nine more over the final three frames to earn the victory. Mastodons? starter David Zachary two-hit the Bobcats over seven innings to keep the early lead in tact.

The IPFW bats rattled from the beginning as three of the first four hitters singled in the opening at-bat, the last of which plated the first run of the day. With runners at the corners and one out, the Mastodons were set up for a double play but Dusty Hammond's (Bellefontaine, Ohio) throw to first was wide and got past first baseman Jon Vondrell (Centerville, Ohio), allowing the second run of the inning to cross.

The Mastodons loaded the bases in their next at-bat as the leadoff hitter reached on a single, but was caught stealing, Gressick then yielded a walk and consecutive singles with two outs to pack the bases, but induced a fly to right field to get out of the jam.

IPFW was able to manage another tally in the third frame, this time aided by two Hammond errors. The leadoff hitter Ryan Steinbach reached on the Bobcat second baseman?s fielding error and then advanced to second on a steal attempt after Hammond dropped catcher Ben Crabtree's (Roxbury, Conn.) throw. Steinbach then advanced to third on a wild pitch by Gressick and scored on a single to left center for a 3-0 lead.

While Gressick was struggling on the mound, the Ohio offense was struggling at the plate. Zachary held the Bobcats to just one hit over the first four frames before they were finally able to break through in the fifth. Brian Colopy (Columbus, Ohio) reached on an error and Willie Walker (Marysville, Ohio) walked to get things started. Bryant Witt (Powell, Ohio) then hit a bloop single to shallow right-center that brought home both runners to draw Ohio with one at 3-2.

With Yale Silverman (Baton Rouge, La.) now on in relief, the Mastodons were able to gain one of those runs back in the seventh. A leadoff triple by Steinbach was followed by a single up the middle off the bat of Sean Kirk put IPFW out in front by two.

Things got worse from there for Ohio. The visitors exploded as the first seven Mastodons to step to the plate reached safely on Silverman and Dan O?Rourke (Monongahela, Pa.) and five eventually crossed home plate to extend to a 9-2 advantage.

With Adam Gibson on in relief of Zachary, Hammond took a one out offering over the right-centerfield wall for his third round-tripper of the year, but the run would prove to be inconsequential as the Mastodons scored three more times in the top of the ninth ? all on a homer by Ryan Keena.

Gressick (2-3) took the loss after allowing three runs ? two earned ? on 11 hits in 3 1/3 innings of work. Silverman and O?Rourke surrendered nine runs on 11 hits in relief.
At the plate, Gressick was the only Ohio batter to record more than one hit, going 2-for-4.

Zachary (4-2) threw seven strong innings to earn the victory. He finished with two walks and two strikeouts while both runs scored were unearned.

Keena led the IPFW offensive effort with a 4-for-6 performance with five RBIs. Four Mastodon hitters recorded three or more hits.

Game Two:
A similar tale was told in the nightcap as a four-run first, 17 hits and five Ohio errors secured a win for the Mastodons in game two.

Vondrell drove in four runs over the course of the second and third innings to give Ohio its first lead of the day, but IPFW rallied for runs in four of the next six innings to take the lead back for good.

The Mastodons sent nine hitters to the plate in the first inning, pushing across four runs on starter Luke Howard (Lebanon, Ohio) before Ohio ever took its turn. Six hits and two errors put the Bobcats in an early hole, but they?d answer quickly in the bottom half.

Colopy walked with one out before Gressick smashed his sixth home run of the season, in the power gap in right center, bringing Ohio to within two after one inning.

Howard recorded an out in the second, but then surrendered a pair of singles. With two on and one out, Carbone went to his bullpen for the first time, calling on left-hander Daniel Utts (Circleville, Ohio). The sophomore came on and squashed the threat, retiring the first two batters he faced and sending the Mastodons down without a run in the second.

In the home half of the second, Vondrell deposited the second pitch of the inning deep over the wall in left to cut the deficit to one, 4-3.

After Utts kept the IPFW bats quiet in the third, Ohio tacked on three more in the home half. Two walks and a fielder?s choice loaded the bases and Vondrell promptly unloaded them with a three-run double to right-center, giving the Bobcats their first lead of the contest, 6-4.

It wouldn?t last long, though. With a man on and two outs in the fourth, clean-up hitter Steinbach went deep to right-center and tied the game at sixes. Then, an inning later, back-to-back doubles to lead off the fifth pushed a seventh run across and put the lead back in the hands of IPFW. The Mastodons scored once more in the inning and led 8-6 until increasing the advantage in the next inning.

Utts? day would end with two on and two out in the sixth, as Carbone opted for Zeke Isaacs (West Carrollton, Ohio) out of the Bobcat pen. The righty came on and surrendered a run-scoring single to the first batter he faced, but got out of the inning unscathed after that and kept the deficit at three as Ohio came to bat in the sixth.

Ohio loaded the bases in the sixth with one out but came home empty handed. Colopy lined out sharply to center field, too shallow for the run at third to tag up. Then, with two outs, Gressick hit a line shot to left that looked as though it may end up over the wall, but instead fell into the outstretched arms of the IPFW outfielder, ending the inning and preserving the Mastodon lead.

That lead became one run larger in the seventh. A two-out double by Steinbach plated a run and kicked the IPFW advantage up to four.

Michael Forchione (Akron, Ohio) and Vondrell each picked up RBI singles in the ninth to pull Ohio to within two. The Bobcats had the potential game-winning run at the plate with two outs, but IPFW reliever Adam Gibson induced a Matt Stiffler (Bellbrook, Ohio) line out on the first pitch to end the game.

Jake Hollander (2-2) earned the victory out the bullpen, while Gibson threw one pitch for the save.

Utts (2-1) took the loss in 4 1/3 innings of relief, surrendering five runs?two earned?one five hits, walking one striking out three.

Vondrell finished the game with three hits and a career-best five RBIs.

?Jon has worked hard, earned the right to play,? Carbone said. ?With that opportunity, he?s been doing a good job for us.?

Crabtree and Sabatini notched two hits apiece and Gressick drove in two.

Prior to the contest, Ohio?s six seniors?Colopy, Crabtree, Howard, O?Rourke, Sabatini and Brian White (Frankfort, Ohio)?and student manager Joe Turkall were honored on the field for their efforts at Ohio University.

Those six seniors will finish up their careers at Bob Wren Stadium this week with a two-game series against Southeastern Conference powerhouse Vanderbilt. Tuesday?s contest is slated for 6 p.m., while Wednesday?s home finale will begin with a 4 p.m. first pitch.