March 26, 2008
Box Score
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - The Ohio baseball team fell 14-6 to Cincinnati on Wednesday afternoon at V.A Memorial Stadium. The Bearcats scored nine runs on ten hits in the first three innings but one big inning nearly tied the game for the Bobcats.
Ohio (9-10) struck in the bottom of the eighth when the team plated its first six runs of the game after soliciting two walks and five hits from Bearcat relievers A.J. Upton, Brian Garman and Adam Calez.
Zach Hartle (Toledo, Ohio) and Gauntlett Eldemire (Shaker Heights, Ohio) each tallied two RBI in the inning and Brandon Besl (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Jason Selhorst (Ottawa, Ohio) added one apiece.
But following Ohio's six run eighth, Cincinnati (10-9) added to its 10-6 lead with four runs on two doubles and two singles
The Bobcats came into the contest having won five out of their previous six games but couldn't get the bats going against Cincinnati starting pitcher Nick Johnson.
Johnson pitched seven scoreless innings for the Bearcats, including two strikeouts, two hits and two base on balls. He had a no-hitter going through the sixth inning before senior centerfielder Matt Stiffler (Bellwood, Ohio) singled to center, extending his hitting streak to 14 games.
"Johnson just totally dominated us," said head coach Joe Carbone. "We finally woke up a bit in the eighth but it was just too late."
The Bobcats threatened Johnson in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded and two outs but a groundout to short ended the potential rally. He improved to 2-0 for the 2008 campaign.
Ohio starting pitcher Joe Stover (Shorewood, Ill.), a junior right-hander, lasted one inning surrendering seven runs on six hits with two base on balls. The junior dropped to 0-3 on the season.
Seven Bobcats tallied one hit apiece in their 19th game of the season and last at Chillicothe's V.A. Memorial Stadium.
Kurt Smith (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Mike Babin (Medina, Ohio) performed well for the Bobcats out of the bullpen.
Smith pitched one inning and allowed just one hit, issuing one walk and striking out one batter. Babin pitched two hitless innings, striking out one and retired each of the six batters he faced.
Ohio ended the game with six runs on seven hits with two errors. Cincinnati had a line of 14 runs on 16 hits with zero errors.
