March 29, 2006
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio baseball squad was able to get 11 runs in the second inning, two more in the third, then held on the rest of the way as they escaped with a 13-11 victory over Youngstown State Wednesday night in Bob Wren Stadium.
Leading 13-4, Ohio (7-9) was outscored by the visiting Penguins (8-13) 7-0 over the last six innings, but the early deficit was too large for YSU to overcome as the Bobcats ended a two-game skid and close out a season-long 13-game homestand.
The Bobcats found themselves in an early hole as YSU plated four runs in their first at-bat as the Penguins sent their whole lineup line-up to the plate in the opening frame. A three-run homer by Justin Banks spelled an early end to Bobcat starter Andrew Shisila's day and brought on reliever Daniel Utts. The Ohio southpaw then gave up three-straight hits and the Penguins pushed another across for a 4-0 lead.
Ohio broke through in a big way on the Penguins in the home half of the second, however. The Bobcats sent 15 batters to the plate as they scored 11 runs on just four hits with seven walks. A Willie Walker single through the right side started the scoring and it snowballed from there as Jared Willis, Matt Stiffler and Bryant Witt recorded RBI hit while Brandon Besl and Witt drew bases loaded walks. The 11 runs was by far a season-high for an inning for the Bobcats this year.
"That (second inning) was a big part of the ballgame," Ohio Head Coach Joe Carbone said. "I thought our guys did a good job of making them throw strikes and we didn't let up. We really made them make a pitch - and with that resulted a bunch of walks. Add to that a few hits and it turned out to be a big inning for us."
The Bobcats tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third as Anthony Gressick's first triple of the year plated Chris Klimko. Besl then drove a sacrifice fly to right-center to bring home Gressick for a 13-4 advantage.
The YSU staff settled down from there and held the Ohio bats in check the rest of the way while the Penguin offense began to chip away at the Bobcat lead inning-by-inning as they.
Bobcat freshman Kevin Mementowski made his collegiate debut as he entered the game with one out in the second inning in relief of Utts. The right hander retired six of the first 10 batters he faced before getting in trouble in the top of the fifth and the first five batters reached safely and three scored. Adam Goodpasture was then call on from the bullpen and inherited one runner with one out, but kept Ohio in a 13-7 lead.
YSU was able to touch Goodpasture for a single tally in the sixth as it registered a two-out double down over the left fielder's line scored a run to cut Ohio's lead to 13-8.
The Penguins continued their comeback bid in the eight when they sent three more runners across home plate to tighten the game up to a two-run Bobcat lead. Bobcat reliever Matt Schlarb retired the first batter and gave way to Zach Elmer, who surrendered a walk a single, a hit a batter, and two runs before he was pulled in favor of Chris Rigo. Rigo gave up a bunt single for YSU's third run of the inning, but limited the damage there as the lead dwindled to 13-11.
YSU got its lead-off man on base in the ninth, but the Rigo was able to induce a 4-6-3 double play and a flyout to earn his team-leading third save of the season.
Mementowski (1-0) earned the victory in relief for Ohio in his first appearance. He allowed three runs - two earned - on five hits in three complete innings of work.
"We had been wanting to pitch him and we said today that we were for sure going to get him out there to give him an opportunity and see what he could do," Carbone said. "I thought he did a great job."
Hammond and Walker both went 2-for-5 at the plate to lead the Ohio offense.
YSU starter Josh Wells (0-2) took the loss. He allowed six runs on just two hits with four walks in 1 2-3 innings.
Brent Parks went 4-for-5 at the plate for the Penguins.
The Penguins actually out-hit Ohio 17-8 in the game and the two teams combined to use 12 pitchers - including seven by the Bobcats.
"We were going to pitch all of those guys tonight, they were all coming in sooner or later," Carbone said. "We got a bunch of guys out there to throw and the only way they will get better is to stick them out there in a game situation."
The Bobcats will hit the road for the first time since Feb. 26 when they take on Toledo in a Mid-American Conference series this weekend starting with a 3 p.m., contest Friday.
