Feb. 24, 2008
Box Score
Charleston, S.C. - The Ohio baseball team split the final two games of its three-game series with Charleston Southern Sunday afternoon, winning the first game, 6-2, and falling in the second, 7-1, in a doubleheader at Buccaneer Field.
Juniors Zach Elmer (Delaware, Ohio) and Joe Stover (Shorewood, Ill.) combined to give up just four hits, while striking out seven to lead the Bobcats to the victory in game one. The left-handed Elmer (1-0) earned the victory, throwing the first five innings, allowing one earned run off of three hits and striking out four. Stover, a transfer from Joliet JC, had a solid debut in an Ohio uniform. The former Junior College All-American retired the first 11 batters he faced and allowed just one hit, a solo-home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, in four innings of relief. Stover finished with three strikeouts on the day.
"Elmer and Stover threw the ball very well today," said Ohio Head Coach Joe Carbone. "I thought Stover did a nice job of coming on in relief for Elmer."
Charleston Southern (1-2) held a brief 1-0 lead after the first inning, but Ohio (2-1) quickly responded in the top of the second. Freshman Robert Maddox III (Euclid, Ohio) walked and then after advancing to second, was brought around on a double to center field by sophomore Jarod Yakubik (Byesville, Ohio), tying the score at 1-1.
The Bobcats took the lead for good in the top of the third inning. Senior Zach Hartle (Toledo, Ohio) led off the inning with a single to left field. After advanced around to third, sophomore Jeremie Rehak's (Pittsburgh, Pa.) grounder to second allowed Hartle to come around to score, giving Ohio a 2-1 edge.
The bulk of Ohio's runs came in the top of the fifth inning with two outs. Charleston Southern's Brandon Roberts retired the first two Bobcat hitters, but the next four batters reached for Ohio, and at the end of the inning the lead was stretched to 5-1. Senior Matt Stiffler (Bellbrook, Ohio) began the run with a single to center field. Rehak then drew a walk, followed by a single through the right side by sophomore Marc Krauss (Deshler, Ohio), scoring Stiffler from second. Junior Brandon Besl (Cincinnati, Ohio) then lined a double, scoring both Rehak and Krauss to give Ohio a four run lead.
"Besl swung the bat well today for us," said Carbone. "As a team, hitting wise we are still not as sharp as we need to be, that's something we're going to continue working on."
Ohio added an insurance run in the sixth inning, as junior Hayden Johnston (Strattanville, Pa.) hit an RBI-single up the middle, bringing Maddox III across the dish.
Besl finished the day 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI and Johnston went 2-for-4 with one RBI. Krauss, who drew four walks in the opening game of the series, went 1-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored.
Game 2: Charleston Southern 7, Ohio 1
In the second game, Charleston Southern brought four runs across the plate in the eighth inning to stretch a 3-1 lead into a 7-1 victory.
The Bobcats managed just four hits in the final game, as CSU's Andrew White kept the Ohio hitters guessing throughout. White went 7.1 innings, giving up just three hits and one earned run and striking out seven to earn the victory.
"Andrew White pitched an outstanding game," said Carbone. "He had good velocity, good breaking balls and he was always ahead of us in the count. He deserves all the credit, he was just better than us in the second game."
Senior left-hander Matt Smith (Centre Hall, Pa.) was effective in his first start this year for Ohio, going five innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs, while striking out three in the loss.
Trailing 2-1, the Bobcats had a chance to tie or take the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Stiffler and freshman Gauntlett Eldemire (Shaker Heights, Ohio) were on first and second with one out, but Charleston Southern managed to escape unscathed. Krauss grounded out to first base, advancing both runners for the second out of the inning, and then White was able to get Besl to fly out to end the inning.
Hartle went 1-for-3 in game two and freshman catcher Trace Voshell (Batavia, Ohio) went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Charleston Southern held Krauss (0-for-4), Stiffler (0-for-3) and Besl (1-for-4) a combined 1-for-11 in the second game.
Ohio freshman RHP Jason Moulton (Toledo, Ohio) had a tough first outing, throwing 2.1 innings of relief, allowing four hits and four earned runs and striking out two.
Next up for the Bobcats is a three-game series in Tennessee against Memphis (Feb. 29-March 2). The series is scheduled to begin on Feb. 29 at 4 p.m.
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Wes Liles is the baseball contact in the Ohio media relations office. He can be reached via email at liles@ohio.edu.
