April 1, 2009
Box Score
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The Ohio University baseball team held a seven-run advantage midway through Wednesday evening's contest, but West Virginia used four runs in the bottom of the ninth to steal a 10-9 walk-off win at Hawley Field. The Mountaineers (20-6, 5-1 BIG EAST) have now knocked off the Bobcats (11-12, 5-1 Mid-American Conference) four-straight times, including the last two by just a run.
West Virginia trailed 9-3 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, but made it a five-run game with a sac fly in the home half of the sixth and chipped away some more with a pair of scores in the seventh to close within three. The Mountaineers knotted the game at nine in the bottom of the ninth when sophomore Jedd Gyorko went deep with a pair of men on base and no outs off junior reliever Bryce Butt (Omaha, Neb.), giving Gyorko a game-high four RBIs in the contest.
WVU then loaded the bases with the help of an intentional free pass and only one out. Ohio picked up a force out at home for the second out, but a throwing error by sophomore shortstop Zach Keen (Beavercreek, Ohio) on a grounder by freshman Justin Ellis allowed sophomore Tobias Streich to score the game-winning run from third, albeit unearned, handing the Mountaineers the 10-9 victory.
Butt (0-4) took the loss, allowing three hits and the final four runs, three of which were earned, in an inning of work. Freshman Chase Pickering (1-0) earned his first-career win by tossing the last four innings and limiting the 'Cats to just a run on two hits, with three walks and a trio of strikeouts. Freshman starter Michael Dillon (Bel Air, Md.) had a strong outing in his first-career start on the hill for Ohio, going four innings and surrendering just a run on two hits.
Junior third baseman Marc Krauss (Deshler, Ohio) paced the Bobcats at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored, the second time this year he's had at least a trio of hits, RBIs and runs. He also creamed a four-bagger for the third-straight game. Sophomore designated hitter Robert Maddox III (Euclid, Ohio) went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, a run scored and a pair of doubles, while extending his hitting streak to nine games.
Ohio jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, as Krauss hit his team-leading 10th bomb of the season in the first frame following a leadoff walk by sophomore center fielder Gauntlett Eldemire (Shaker Heights, Ohio) and senior Brandon Besl (Cincinnati, Ohio) then belted a solo shot out of the park two batters later.
Maddox registered an RBI single in the third that brought Krauss home and an inning later Krauss put the 'Cats ahead 5-0 with an RBI single of his own. Senior Justin Parks got the Mountaineers on the board with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the fourth, but Ohio answered with three tallies in the fifth on senior catcher Chris Klimko's (McKeesport, Pa.) RBI single to center and a pair of RBI groundouts, giving the Green and White its game-high seven-run advantage.
WVU made it an 8-3 contest in the bottom of the fifth on senior Joe Agreste's two-run round-tripper down the right-field line, before Maddox scored Krauss again on his second double of the game for a 9-3 Bobcat edge. West Virginia then scored the game's final six runs over the last three and a half innings to snag the win.
The Bobcats return to MAC play this weekend when they'll host the Toledo Rockets in a three-game series at Bob Wren Stadium. The series opener is Friday, April 3 at 6 p.m. ET, with Saturday's game at 3 p.m. ET and Sunday's series finale slated for 1 p.m. ET. Live stats will be available for all three games on OhioBobcats.com and will also be broadcast on WATH 970 AM in Athens and streamed live on OhioBobcats.com. Pre-game coverage begins 15 minutes prior to first pitch all three days with the "Voice of the Bobcats" Russ Eisenstein and Brian Boesch calling the action.
Notes: Senior right fielder Hayden Johnston (Strattanville, Pa.) stretched his hitting streak to 11 games with a single in the third inning ... Krauss now has a team-best seven three-hit games on the year ... Senior reliever Adam Goodpasture (Columbus, Ohio) made his 66th-career appearance Wednesday, moving him into a tie with Dan O'Rourke (2002-05) for third all time on Ohio's career pitching appearances list ... The Bobcats have hit at least two home runs in 10 games now this season ... The 'Cats fell to 3-2 in one-run games this year and 1-1 against the BIG EAST, after knocking off Pittsburgh March 4.
