April 30, 2008
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio - Duquesne brought three runs across the plate in the seventh inning and another three in the eight inning to erase a four-run lead and defeat the Ohio baseball team, 8-7, on Wednesday night at Bob Wren Stadium. Ohio drops to 20-24 on the season with the loss, while Duquesne improves to 19-22.
Behind the pitching of junior Zach Fairbanks (Martins Ferry, Ohio) and some solid team defense the Bobcats got out to a 6-2 lead through the first six innings. The left-hander allowed three hits and two runs in the top of the first, but settled down over the next five innings, allowing no runs and scattering just five hits. The Bobcat defense looked impressive as well, turning three double plays, and heading into the seventh inning Ohio held a four-run lead.
The lead would not hold, however, as Duquesne scored three runs in the seventh and another three in the eight to take an 8-6 lead. The seventh inning was capped by a two-run homer by Derek Mechling, which chased junior right-hander Joe Stover (Shorewood, Ill.) from the hill. Ohio junior lefty Mike Babin (Medina, Ohio) then came on in relief and got out of the inning, and then retired two of the first three batters he faced in the top of the eighth inning. The Bobcats then once again went to the bullpen, brining in junior right-hander Kevin Mementowski (Parma, Ohio). Following the change, the Dukes knocked an RBI-double and an RBI-single to bring three runs in before the Bobcats were able to get out of the inning.
Ohio sophomore Jeremie Rehak (Pittsburgh, Pa.) put down a perfectly placed bunt with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to leg out a single and score senior Zach Hartle (Toledo, Ohio) to cut the deficit to one. The comeback attempt continued in the bottom of the ninth inning.
With two outs in the final frame, junior Chris Klimko (McKeesport, Pa.) connected on a single, followed by a pinch-hit single by sophomore Jerod Yakubik (Byesville, Ohio), but Duquesne's Danny Brown forced Hartle to fly out to left field to end the game and earn his sixth save of the season.
The Dukes' Andrew Heck (2-0) earns the win after working one inning, allowing just one hit and no runs. Mementowski (1-5) takes the loss for the Bobcats.
Ohio connected on 12 hits and committed one error in the field, while Duquesne totaled 16 hits and had two errors.
The Bobcat offense was led by Rehak, who continued his recent hot-streak at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI. Freshman Robert Maddox III (Euclid, Ohio) went 2-for-5 with his second triple of the year and Klimko was 2-for-2 with one RBI and two walks on the evening. Sophomore Marc Krauss (Deshler, Ohio) went 1-for-4 with his 14th double of the season.
Ohio scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie. Rehak scored the first run of the inning on a Duquesne fielding error, before Klimko belted an RBI-single. Hartle then capped the inning with a two-RBI triple to right center.
Next up for the Bobcats is a three-game series this weekend against Bowling Green at Bob Wren Stadium. The series gets underway Friday evening at 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.
