April 1, 2008

Box Score

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Ohio baseball team had its rally attempt fall short in a 5-4 loss to Duquesne Tuesday afternoon at Duquesne Field. Ohio drops to 12-11 overall, while Duquesne improves to 11-10 on the season.

Trailing 5-2 in the top of the seventh inning the Bobcats used a two-out rally to pull within one run. With two outs, senior Matt Stiffler (Bellbrook, Ohio) singled, and then stole second base to move into scoring position. Senior Zach Hartle (Toledo, Ohio) then singled to drive in Stiffler and cut the deficit to two runs. Sophomore Marc Krauss (Deshler, Ohio) followed with an RBI-double, scoring Hartle from second to bring the score to 5-4, but the Bobcats would get no closer.

In the ninth inning the Bobcats threatened to tie the game, but were unable to bring the tying run across the plate. Ohio freshman Adam Gecewich (Strongsville, Ohio) hit a pinch-hit single with one out, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Stiffler, moving Gecewich to second base. Hartle then hit a grounder to third base, where Gecewich got caught in a run down, and eventually was tagged out, ending the game.

Stiffler led the Bobcats at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored to extend his hitting streak to 18 games. Hartle finished 1-for-3 with a walk, one RBI and one run scored. Krauss went 1-for-4 with a double and one run batted in.

The Bobcats took advantage of errors in both the second and fifth innings to score their first two runs of the game. In the second inning, freshman Guantlett Eldemire (Shaker Heights, Ohio) hit a one-out single, before stealing second base and then advancing to third base. Freshman Zach Keen (Beavercreek, Ohio) hit a shot to the shortstop that he was unable to handle, bringing the first unearned run of the game across the plate and tying the game, 1-1.

Duquesne scored in the bottom of the fourth inning to take back the lead, but Ohio responded in the top of the fifth, once again taking advantage of an error to tie the game at 2-2. Stiffler reached on a fielding error by pitcher Matt Passauer, and then two outs later, Robert Maddox III (Euclid, Ohio) hit an RBI-single, scoring Stiffler.

Ohio junior right-hander Kevin Mementowski (Parma, Ohio) gave up back-to-back singles to start the fifth inning, leading Head Coach Joe Carbone to bring in senior right-hander John Angelicchi (Woodmere, Ohio) out of the bullpen. The first batter Angelicchi faced, Derek Mechling, hit a home run to drive in both runs, giving the Dukes a 5-2 lead.

Angelicchi quickly recovered, pitching the final 4.0 innings on the hill, giving up one earned run on four hits and striking out three.

Mementowski threw 4.0 innings in the start for the Bobcats, allowing seven hits and four earned runs while striking out one in the loss. Mementowski is now 0-1 on the season.

Ohio returns to action on Wednesday evening at Bob Wren Stadium for a game against Cleveland State. First pitch is slated for 6 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.