March 17, 2006
ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio baseball squad jumped out to an early six-run lead on visiting Michigan State and were able to withstand a middle-inning rally by the Spartans to earn a 9-5 victory in the series-opener Friday evening at Bob Wren Stadium.
The Bobcats (4-5) out-hit Michigan State (4-7) 15-6 and scored runs in four-consecutive innings to earn their third victory in the last five games.
Ohio was able to put up three runs in both the second and third frames to grab an early 6-0 advantage. John Vondrell and Jared Willis both blooped singles to get things going in the second and a Jason Selhorst liner to center brought home Vondrell for the game's first run. After Dusty Hammond sacrificed the runners up a base, Matt Stiffler doubled to the left-center gap to score Willis and Selhorst for a 3-0 lead.
The `Cats got right back at it in their next at-bat as Anthony Gressick and Brandon Besl singled to begin the inning. Vondrell then took a 0-1 delivery over the right-centerfield wall to push Ohio ahead 6-0.
After Bobcat starter Derek Witt retired the first nine batters he faced through three innings - including three strikeouts - the Spartan bats rattled in the fourth. MSU got four runs back in the frame, the last three of which came home on a three-run homer by Adam Tripp to cut the Bobcat advantage to 6-4.
The Bobcats were able to get back on the scoreboard again in the fourth, however, as they added two insurance runs in the home half of the fourth to extend to an 8-4 lead. Stiffler led off with a double and advanced to third when the MSU right fielder bobbled the ball. After Johnston was hit by a pitch, Stiffler crossed home plate as Besl drove him in on a deep sacrifice fly to center. Then after Vondrell was hit by a pitch, pinch-hitter Willie Walker reached on an error and allowed Johnston to score for a four-run lead.
The Bobcats tacked on one more in the bottom of the fifth as Hammond scored Bryant Witt on an RBI single to go ahead 9-4.
Derek Witt averted a jam in the top of the sixth that kept the Ohio lead intact. After loading the bases on two walks and a single with one out, Witt got a strikeout and a flyout to left to kill the potential MSU rally.
The Spartans were able to add one more run in the seventh - this time on the Ohio bullpen - as reliever Daniel Utts gave up two singles and hit a batter. The Bobcats' second bullpen arm of the inning, Chris Rigo, was able to get out the inning without any further damage as he picked off an MSU runner trying to steal third for the inning's final out.
Rigo then pitched retired all six batters he faced in the last two innings to earn his first career save.
Derek Witt (2-2) got the victory for Ohio. He allowed four runs on four hits, struck out eight and walked two in 6 1-3 innings of work. He retired the side in four innings.
Johnston and Selhorst each registered three-hit games for the Bobcats at the plate while Voldrell's three RBIs on the homer were tops on the squad.
We played good defense and were more aggressive at the plate today," said Ohio Head Coach Joe Carbone. "Derek (Witt) did a real good job and I also thought (Chris) Rigo came in and threw well."
John Dwan (0-2) took the loss for MSU. He allowed seven runs - six earned - on nine hits in three innings.
Kyle Day was the lone member of the MSU squad to finish with a multiple-hit day as he went 2-for-4 at the plate.
The Bobcats and Spartans will get together for a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 1 p.m.
