May 16, 2008
Box Score
BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Ohio baseball team held a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Buffalo rallied back in the final half inning to tie the game and then brought the winning run across the plate in the bottom of the 10th inning to defeat the Bobcats, 5-4, Friday afternoon at Amherst Audubon Field. The loss snaps Ohio's (26-28, 13-13 MAC) six-game winning streak, its longest of the season. The Bobcats clinched a spot in the 2008 MAC Tournament yesterday with a victory in game one of the series.
Ohio senior left-hander Matt Smith (Centre Hall, Pa.) and junior righty Matt Schlarb (Lexington, Ohio) combined to shutout Buffalo (14-37, 7-18 MAC) through the first eight innings. The Bulls' bats finally came alive in the bottom half of the final inning against junior Kevin Mementowski (Parma, Ohio) though, as the first four batters of the inning reached base and came around to score to force the game into extra innings.
The Bobcats went down in order in the top half of the 10th inning and Buffalo capped the comeback in the bottom of the 10th with a walk-off single by Brian Randazzo, lifting the Bulls to the 5-4 win.
Sophomore Marc Krauss blasted a two-run shot over the right field wall to give Ohio a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. The long ball was Krauss' ninth of the season. Freshman Trace Voshell (Batavia, Ohio) gave the Bobcats a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning with an RBI-single, scoring freshman Guantlett Eldemire (Shaker Heights, Ohio). Freshman Zach Keen (Beavercreek, Ohio) connected on a single to left field in the top of the ninth to bring sophomore Jeremie Rehak (Pittsburgh, Pa.) across the plate and lift Ohio in front 4-0.
Smith was solid on the mound in the start for Ohio, allowing just three hits and no runs in 5.0 innings. Schlarb came on in relief and pitched the next 3.0 innings, allowing just four hits and striking out three while allowing no runs.
Junior left-hander Mike Babin (Medina, Ohio) takes the loss for the Bobcats after the runner he walked to lead off the 10th inning came around to score the winning run. Babin is now 0-2 on the season.
Keen was the only Bobcat to record more than one hit for the game, going 2-for-3 with one run scored. The Bobcats were out-hit 13-7 in the game.
Ohio senior Matt Stiffler (Bellbrook, Ohio) had his 13-game hitting streak come to an end after going 0-for-4 on the day.
The Bobcats and Bulls play the final game of the series Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.
