April 15, 2006
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio - After getting rained out Friday evening, the Ohio baseball squad came out and took the first game of Saturday's doubleheader with Eastern Michigan by a final of 5-4, but was unable to complete the twin bill sweep as the Eagles took the second game 6-4.
The Bobcats (12-15, 5-6 MAC) got a run in each of the first three innings in the day's first contest, then rode the right arm of Derek Witt the rest of the way as they earned a 5-4 decision in the Mid-American Conference series opener. The Eagles (15-16, 6-5 MAC) delivered Head Coach Roger Coryell his 500th career victory in the second game, however, as they got a strong effort from starting pitcher Jeff Fischer and two home runs to back him up in a 6-4 win.
Game 1
Ohio was able to get single tallies in each of the first three innings in the first game of the day. In their first at-bat, Matt Stiffler, Bryant Witt and Anthony Gressick each singled to load the bases with no outs. Willie Walker then drove a pitch to center to sacrifice home Stiffler for an early 1-0 lead, but in a bit of foreshadowing of future events, Ohio was unable to get any more runs in the frame after Jon Vondrell grounded into a double play.
In the Bobcat second Chris Klimko reached on an error with one out and Hayden Johnston joined him on base after he was hit by a pitch with two outs. Stiffler then recorded his second single in as many at-bats to plate Klimko for a 2-0 Ohio advantage.
With one out in the third, Walker singled through the right side and scored one batter later as the Eagle defense tried to record a double play, but the throw got away and Walker came around to score and make it 3-0 in Ohio's favor.
After Derek Witt retired the side in the first and second frames and allowed just the first EMU batter to reach in the third, the Eagles were able to break through on the scoreboard in the fourth as a lead-off single, subsequent stolen base and a one-out base-knock drew them within two at 3-1.
The Eagles got another run back in the top of the fifth on Aaron Powell's home run over the right-center field wall to make it 3-2, but that is the last run they would get until the eighth.
After allowing one base runner in the sixth, Derek Witt walked his first batter of the game to lead off the EMU seventh, but immediately got out of potential trouble when he retired the next three batters in a row, including consecutive strikeouts looking.
The Bobcats were able to get just the insurance they would need after the seventh-inning stretch, all with two outs. Bryant Witt took an EMU delivery off the left-center field wall for his first triple of the year and, after a Gressick walk, Walker banged his conference-leading fourth triple of the year to center to score both runs for a 5-2 Ohio lead.
EMU was able to make it interesting after they got two runs on three hits, including back-to-back run-scoring doubles, in the top of the eighth to cut the Bobcats' lead to 5-4.
After a scoreless home half of the eighth, Ohio Head Coach Joe Carbone sent Adam Goodpasture out in relief of Derek Witt to start the ninth, but the freshman southpaw walked the lead-off batter and Chris Rigo came on to close the door. Ohio's team-leader in saves entering the day, Rigo retired the side to earn his fifth of the year and clinch the Ohio victory.
Derek Witt (4-2) allowed four earned runs on eight hits with nine strikeouts and just one walk in eight innings to earn the victory for Ohio.
"Derek gave us eight solid innings," Carbone said. "We probably extended him a little bit, but there was a big run at second base (in the eighth), and if Eastern is going to beat us they are going to have to beat Derek. He was the key to us winning that game."
Walker led four players with two hits as he registered a 2-for-3 performance with three RBIs.
"I thought we got out there and got aggressive," Carbone said. "We swung the bats well and did a good job at the plate. We made some adjustments early on in the first game, but in the second game we didn't do that until late."
George Biddle (3-3) took the loss for EMU after he allowed five runs - three earned - on nine hits in seven innings with a walk and no strikeouts.
Trumaine Riley went 3-for-4 at the dish for the Eagles in the loss.
Game 2
The second game of the doubleheader shaped up to be a pitcher's dual early on as Ohio's John Angelicchi and Eastern Michigan's Jeff Fischer combined to retire 24 of the 30 of the batters they faced over the course of the first four innings.
Both teams were finally able to get on the scoreboard in the fifth, however. The Eagles got a one-out double to center followed by an RBI double down the left field line and a sharp single to right center to bring home the second run as EMU took a 2-0 lead.
The Bobcats got one run back in the home half of the fifth, however. With two outs, Bryant Witt took one off the wall for the second time on the day and trotted into second. Gressick then followed with a rope to center for two bags and Witt scored to cut the EMU lead to 2-1.
Although Angelicchi entered the fifth inning having allowed just four hits, and after retiring the first two batters of the inning, the Eagles hammered the Bobcat right-hander for five-straight hits to spell the end of his day. EMU got consecutive two-out singles and Jeff Hehr followed with a three-run homer over the right field wall to push the Eagles ahead 5-1. After two more hits Carbone pulled Angelicchi in favor of Yale Silverman, who was able to retire the first batter he faced to get out of the inning.
The Bobcats made two-out noise in the fifth sixth innings, getting two guys on each time, but could not get a score. That same scenario almost repeated itself in the seventh, but this time after Gressick and Walker got two out-hits, Vondrell was able to single to left and Gressick scored to cut EMU's lead to four, 6-2.
Ohio was able to chip away even more in the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Klimko jacked his second homer of the year down the left field line for Ohio's third run of the game. Pinch-hitter Jared Willis then drew a walk and Stiffler and Witt followed with singles, the second of which drew Ohio within two at 6-4. The Bobcats would leave the bases loaded without getting any more runs, however. After Gressick reached on a fielder's choice and Walker drew a walk to load the bases, Vondrell grounded out to end the rally.
Dusty Hammond walked to lead off the ninth, but Brandon Besl hit into a double play and Klimko struck out to end the game.
The Bobcats left 13 runners on in the game and 19 over the course of the two contests.
Angelicchi (1-5) took the loss for Ohio after he allowed five earned runs on nine hits with six strikeouts and no walks in 5 2-3 innings.
Silverman allowed one earned run on three hits in 2 2-3 innings of relief while freshman relievers Zach Elmer and Kevin Mementowski each recorded an out to finish the game.
Stiffler, Witt and Gressick each finished with two hits in the game and those three, along with Walker, combined to go 15-of-33 in the two games at the top of the Ohio lineup.
"That's why we have them up there in the top four spots, we expect them to hit and today they did," Carbone said. "Those guys did a good job today."
Fischer (6-3) allowed three runs on 10 hits with eight strikeouts and no walks in 7 1-3 innings to earn the victory for the Eagles.
EMU had five players finish with two hits in the game.
In his 19th season at EMU, Eagles skipper Coryell moved his career record to 500-565 with the victory.
"I thought there were good pitching performances by both teams today," Carbone said. "I thought (Jeff) Fischer pitched an excellent game for them and I thought Derek (Witt) pitched an excellent game for us."
The rubber game of the league series is set for 1 p.m., Sunday afternoon in Bob Wren Stadium.
