May 3, 2009
Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Ohio University baseball team scored six runs over the final three innings Sunday at Steller Field, but a seven-run deficit after five frames was too much to overcome, as the Bobcats fell to Bowling Green, 9-7. Ohio (22-19, 13-8 Mid-American Conference) brought the go-ahead run to the plate in both the eighth and ninth innings, but was unable to complete the comeback. With the win, the Falcons (23-18, 13-7 MAC) completed the series sweep of the 'Cats, who are now tied with Miami for third in the MAC's East Division and trail BGSU by a half game.
Junior Marc Krauss (Deshler, Ohio) clubbed his MAC-leading 20th four-bagger of the season in the seventh inning, tying him with Mike Arbinger (2002) for Ohio's single-season home runs record. The homer also gave him 38 for his career, tying him for second all-time in Bobcat history. Krauss finished the day 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
Both teams tallied 11 hits on the day, marking the 12th-straight game the Bobcats have recorded double-digit hits. Senior catcher Chris Klimko (McKeesport, Pa.) was a perfect 3-for-3, including two home runs for his first-career multi-homer game, with three RBIs and a pair of runs scored. Fellow senior Brandon Besl (Cincinnati, Ohio) added a trio of base knocks for Ohio to extend his hitting streak to a season-long 10 games, during which he has eight multi-hit contests.
Junior starter Bryce Butt (Omaha, Neb.) took the loss and fell to 3-6 (but also has five saves), allowing four earned runs (seven total) in three and a third innings, while freshman Kacy Dwornik improved to 3-1 with the win, tossing six and a third innings of five-run ball with seven strikeouts. Senior Adam Goodpasture (Columbus, Ohio) gave the Bobcats four and two-thirds innings of strong relief, his season-long outing, while conceding just a pair of runs on three hits with a season-best five strikeouts. It was Goodpasture's 76th career appearance in the green and white, tying him for second all-time.
Redshirt junior Tyler Elkins put the Falcons on the board first with his RBI single up the middle in the opening stanza. Senior Ryan Shay then made it 3-0 Bowling Green in the second on his two-RBI double to center field.
In the fourth inning, Klimko plated sophomore Robert Maddox III (Euclid, Ohio) on his second sac fly of the season to get the 'Cats within two, but BGSU answered right back with four runs, capped by senior Brian Hangbers' two-run home run, for a 7-1 lead. Junior Mark Galvin singled in another Falcon run in the fifth to give Bowling Green a seven-run cushion.
Ohio closed to within three at 8-5 in the seventh, as Klimko blasted his third homer of the season to start the stanza and Krauss belted his record-tying three-run bomb to right center later in the frame. BGSU followed with a sac fly in the bottom of the inning to bump its lead to four, but the Bobcats would not go quietly.
In the eighth, Klimko's second round-tripper of the game (and third in two days) and back-to-back doubles by freshman Bobby Martin (Crystal Lake, Ill.) and sophomore Zach Keen (Beavercreek, Ohio) made it a 9-7 contest. After Krauss walked, the 'Cats brought the go-ahead run to the plate, but a double play ended the rally. Ohio again put two runners on in the ninth and had the go-ahead run at the plate with two outs, but Hangbers forced a pop-up to second base to pick up his second save of the season and complete the series sweep.
The Bobcats remain on the road, as they'll face the Cincinnati Bearcats of the BIG EAST Tuesday, May 5 at Marge Schott Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET. Live stats will be available for Tuesday's contest via Gametracker on OhioBobcats.com.
Notes: With three home runs in the game, Ohio has now hit 35 round-trippers in its last nine games and has a MAC-best 73 on the season ... Besl registered multiple hits in all three games at Bowling Green, giving him 219 for his career, which puts him in eighth on Ohio's career hits list, passing current assistant coach Scott Malinowski ... Besl also moved into fifth all-time on the Bobcats' career at-bats ledger with his five Sunday, giving him 711 for his career ... Krauss now has 56 runs scored in 2009, putting him in a tie for 10th on Ohio's single-season list ... The Bobcats stranded 10 runners on base in the game.
