April 11, 2006
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio - A Willie Walker bases-loaded single to right-center with two outs in the bottom of the ninth gave the Ohio baseball squad a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over West Virginia Tuesday night in Bob Wren Stadium.
After losing a 5-4 lead when the Mountaineers (25-8) got two runs in the top of the ninth on Ohio (11-14) closer Chris Rigo, the Bobcats loaded the bases with three walks before Walker's heroics gave Ohio its first walk-off victory of the season and a three-game winning streak.
"I thought we beat a real good team tonight," said Ohio Head Coach Joe Carbone. "I think West Virginia is an NCAA Regional-type team."
The pitchers were in control early on as each team got just one hit in its first two at-bats and seven groundouts were recorded. Jon Vondrell recorded the first Ohio hit of the day in the second inning on Mountaineer starter Matt Yurish, who threw a seven-inning no-hitter in his last start, and the Bobcats were the first to break through on the scoreboard with a tally in the bottom of the third.
Dusty Hammond led off the Ohio third with his first triple of the year just past the outstretched arm of the WVU center fielder. Hammond then scored just moments later on a passed ball with Chris Klimko at the plate. Yurish would go on to retire the next six Ohio batters before getting in trouble in the fifth.
Despite a smooth first two innings for Ohio starter Yale Silverman, the Mountaineers threw a heavy dose of small-ball his way in the third. After a lead-off single down the left field line and a swinging infield single, WVU bunted safely with three of its next six batters and manufactured four runs in the inning to take the lead. Adam Goodpasture relieved Silverman with two outs during the WVU rally.
The Bobcats were able to get all of that back in the home half of the fifth, however. Hayden Johnston reached as the lead-off when he was hit by a pitch and Hammond followed with a walk. Then, with a 2-2 count, Klimko jacked his first-career home run just inside the left field foul pole to knot the game at 4-4.
Goodpasture got the Bobcats through scoreless fifth and sixth frames and gave way to Andrew Shisila, who followed with hitless seventh and eighth innings to keep the `Cats even at 4-4.
With Trent Ridgley now on in relief for the Mountaineers, Ohio got things going in the bottom of the eighth. Vondrell drove a one-out pitch to the right-center gap for a double and Willie Walker was intentionally walked. Jared Willis then drew a walk to load the bases and Johnston sent a deep fly to right field to bring home Kirk Payne, who was pitch-running for Vondrell, to put the Bobcats ahead 5-4.
The Bobcats went to Chris Rigo out of the bullpen to finish the game, but the freshman closer couldn't hold the Mountaineer bats at bay. WVU drew a lead-off walk and a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second. A single then placed runners at the corners with one out and - after a stolen base - WVU's Tyler Kuhn drove a single to center that scored both runs for a 5-4 Mountaineer advantage. Rigo escaped further trouble, however, when the Bobcats got a double play on a running mistake by Kuhn on an infield grounder.
Klimko drew a lead-off walk to start the ninth for Ohio - his third time reaching base in the game. Matt Stiffler then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Klimko to second. Bryant Witt then drew a walk and WVU went to its second reliever of the night in Kevin Korzun. A wild pitch by Korzun moved the runners to second and third and they intentionally walked Anthony Gressick with first base open. The move worked initially as Brandon Besl grounded to the third baseman, who threw home to force out Klimko. With two outs, however, Walker lined the game winner to right-center and both Witt and Gressick crossed home plate for the 7-6 victory.
"Willie is swinging the bat well, he's on the ball, he's staying on the plate and he's making good contact," Carbone said. "He had a big week for us last week and I hope he continues."
Despite his first blown save of the year, Rigo (1-0) earned the victory in relief for the Bobcats. Silverman allowed four runs on seven hits in 3 2-3 innings of work in his second start of the year.
Klimko and Vondrell each finished with two hits for Ohio.
Korzun (0-1) ended up with the loss for WVU. Yurish was credited with four runs allowed - three earned - on five hits with eight strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings.
Kuhn finished 3-for-5 at the plate for the Mountaineers with three RBIs.
The Bobcats have now won four-straight over Big East foe WVU, including an 11-10 come-from-behind victory in Morgantown, W.Va., last season when Gressick hit a ninth inning grand slam.
"The kids went out and played hard," Carbone said. "We still have some growing pains and still struggle through some things, but we play hard and we're learning the game."
The Bobcats will be back in action in Bob Wren Stadium this weekend when they host Eastern Michigan in a three-game Mid-American Conference series. The series will get underway Friday night with first pitch set for 6 p.m.
