CLEVELAND ? Three-spots by the offense in both the seventh and eighth innings turned around a pitcher?s duel at Jacobs Field as the Ohio baseball team earned a 7-2 victory over Cleveland State on a brisk Tuesday evening for its 20th victory of the season.

Trailing 2-0 heading into the sixth inning, the Ohio offense scored in three-straight frames to break open the game. Bryan Buck (Hudson, Ohio) and Ben Crabtree (Roxbury, Conn.) both finished 3-for-5 at the plate and Anthony Gressick (Lancaster, Ohio) drove home three runs to pace the Bobcat offense while Yale Silverman (Baton Rouge, La.) threw 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory as Ohio (20-16-1) won its 11th non-conference game in a row.

The Vikings (9-26) were the first to strike a tally on the scoreboard as they manufactured a run in the bottom of the second. Despite the fact that Bobcat starter Luke Howard (Lebanon, Ohio) struck out the side, a double off the left field wall by Jeff Katlen with one out got things started and consecutive singles brought him home for an early 1-0 CSU advantage.

Ohio put in a bid to tie or take the lead in their next at-bat, loading the bases with no outs, but a run did not cross home. Bryant Witt (Powell, Ohio) led off with a double down the left field line, Matt Stiffler (Bellbrook, Ohio) walked, and Buck reached on a fielding error by CSU starter Gary Ball, but all three were stranded. Brian Colopy (Columbus, Ohio) popped out, Gressick struck out looking, and Crabtree grounded out to second to end the threat.

Howard allowed just one CSU batter to reach over the next two innings but got in trouble in the home half of the fifth. The first two batters reached and a sacrifice fly by Steve Chinn plated the runner at third for a 2-0 Viking lead.

The Bobcats were finally able to break through on Ball in the top of the sixth, but left the bases loaded once again. Crabtree led off with a double to the left field corner and moved to third on a one-out single by Dusty Hammond (Bellefontaine, Ohio). Both Jon Vondrell (Centerville, Ohio) and Witt were hit by pitches to load the sacks, but pinch hitter Jared Willis (Logan W.Va.) grounded into a 1-2-3 double play.

On in relief of Howard, David Moyer (Meadville, Ohio) got in a jam in the bottom of the sixth, but with runners on second and third and two outs, Silverman came on for the Bobcats and got a groundout to end the threat.

Ohio finally broke through in the seventh for three runs to take their first lead of the game off of CSU reliever Brandon Hewitt. Buck led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Colopy. Gressick then doubled down the left field line to plate the tying run in Buck and Crabtree followed with his second double of the game to bring home Gressick for Ohio?s first lead of the night. With two outs, the Bobcats got their third run of the frame as Hammond?s grounder couldn?t be handled cleanly by the Viking first baseman, allowing Crabtree to score for a 4-2 lead.

After Silverman set down the CSU lineup in order after seventh inning stretch, the Ohio lead grew to 7-2 one inning later as the Bobcat bats picked up right where they left off. This time, however, things didn?t get brewing until two outs were already recorded. Buck singled through the left side, stole second base, and Colopy joined him on base after getting hit by a pitch. Gressick then smacked his second double in a row to the corner in left to plate both Buck and Colopy. Crabtree followed with his second RBI of the game as he blooped a single down the right field line to score Gressick for a 7-2 advantage.

Silverman gave up two singles to CSU in its last at-bat, but the Bobcats turned a 1-2-3 twin killing of their own to squelch the rally and preserve the 7-2 victory.

Crabtree?s two doubles brought his career total up to 50 and moved him within three of tying Adam Fox and current Bobcat Assistant Coach Scott Malinowski for second place on Ohio?s all-time list. He also extended his career-best hitting streak to 18 games.

Silverman (2-3) surrendered just three hits in his performance and Howard gave up two runs on eight hits in five innings of work.

Bobby Cash led all Viking batters with three hits on the evening and Hewitt (0-3) took the loss in relief after allowing six runs in 2 1/3 innings.

The Bobcats will continue their midweek road swing tomorrow evening when they travel to Niles, Ohio to take on Youngstown State at Eastwood Field. Zeke Isaacs (West Carrollton, Ohio) (1-1) is slated to take the hill for Ohio with first pitch set for 6 p.m.