April 28, 2006
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio - Thanks to eight strong innings on the hill from starting pitcher Derek Witt and a balanced offensive attack, the Ohio baseball squad defeated Mid-American Conference East Division leader Kent State in the series-opener Friday night in Bob Wren Stadium by a final of 5-3.
The Bobcats (15-19, 8-8 MAC) scored three runs in the second and a pair in the fifth, which was all Witt needed against the Golden Flashes (26-14, 11-5 MAC) to earn his team-leading fifth victory of the season. The senior right-hander allowed just nine of the 33 batters he faced to reach base before giving way to closer Chris Rigo, who set a freshman school record with his sixth save of the season.
After Derek Witt set down the first six Flashes he faced in order, his offense put a three run lead behind him in the home half of the second. Willie Walker was hit by a pitch to lead off and he advanced to second on a passed ball with Kirk Payne at the dish. Payne then singled to left and Bryant Witt singled up the middle to bring home Walker for the game's first run. Chris Klimko followed with a groundout to short but Payne came home from third for a 2-0 lead. The third single of the inning came off of the bat of Brandon Besl, which was also resulted in a run as Witt wrapped up the scoring that inning for a 3-0 lead.
After getting a single and a double on Derek Witt to start the third, the Flashes came up empty as the Bobcat senior retired the next three batters in a row to end the threat. Kent State broke through on Witt in the fourth, however. After a lead-off single and a fielder's choice, Witt threw past the bag at first on a pick-off attempt to advance the runner and the next two KSU batters singled to get the Flashes on the board at 3-1.
Ohio got back on the scoreboard with a pair in the fifth inning to extend to a 5-1 lead. Dusty Hammond registered a one-out single and Anthony Gressick followed with a base-knock up the middle. Walker then slapped one through the right side to bring home Hammond and Payne drove a pitch to right to plate Gressick for a four-run advantage.
KSU matched that pair with two of its own in the top of the sixth to once again close within two runs. A walk and two singles loaded the bases and the Flashes got back-to-back sacrifice flies to bring home two runs and make it 5-3.
The scoring ended there as Derek Witt retired the side in the seventh and eighth innings before Ohio Head Coach Joe Carbone went to the closer Rigo to start the ninth. The freshman hurler set down the Flashes in order to earn his team-leading and record-setting sixth save of the year and preserve the victory for Witt.
Derek Witt (5-3) surrendered eight hits, three earned runs and just one walk in his eight complete innings of work and struck out five KSU batters.
Hammond led the Bobcats at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance. Seven of the nine Ohio batters registered a hit and all five RBIs came from different players.
Steve Ross (4-4) took the loss for KSU after allowing five earned runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts and one walk in five innings of work. Jason Seelman threw three scoreless innings in relief for the Flashes and allowed just one hit.
Andrew Davis and Todd Balduf each finished 2-for-4 for KSU at the plate.
Both teams combined for 19 hits, but only one went for extra bases.
"We feel very fortunate to beat a very good team," Carbone said. "You've got to give our kids credit, they went out and played hard and did some things that I thought that we are capable of doing."
The Bobcats and Flashes will get back at it with another 6 p.m., start Saturday in Bob Wren Stadium. Anthony Gressick (3-0) is set to take the mound for Ohio against KSU's Chad Wagler (6-3).
