March 30, 2010
Final Stats
ATHENS, Ohio-Designated hitter Bob Sutica had two doubles, a homer and five RBIs to lead visiting Cleveland State over Ohio 12-10 Tuesday evening at Bob Wren Stadium.
Cleveland State improved to 5-14 overall, while Ohio dipped to 3-18.
CSU third baseman Kyle Shaffer also posted three hits, while right fielder Chuck Gasti and catcher Alex Gnezda drove in two runs. First baseman Tyler Wynn led the way with three runs scored.
Ohio left fielder Robert Maddox III had the big day offensively for the Bobcats, with four RBIs, which also included a three-run blast to center. Maddox and first baseman Jerod Yakubik had a team-best two runs scored. Every Bobcat starter recorded at least one hit.
Viking starter Nate Blankemeyer (1-0) got his first win of the season, as he threw five and two-thirds innings, yielding five runs on seven hits with one strikeout and two walks. Jimmy Cowhy nailed down his first save of the season, thwarting a late Bobcat rally as he allowed just one walk in the ninth frame.
Ohio starter Matt Robin (1-1) had a difficult outing, as he was tagged for four runs on four hits with one strikeout and one walk in one inning pitched. After a rough start, Bobcat hurlers Brett Barber, Andrew Danko and Rex Ingham allowed just three hits and one earned run in the game’s last five innings. Danko was especially effective, striking out five Vikings, without allowing a hit or walk.
Cleveland State struck its big blows early with 10 runs in the first four innings of play, a stretch that Ohio responded to with a run in the second inning and two in the third. Bobcat designated hitter Seth Streich drilled a leadoff homer to right field to lead off the second, while he and Maddox drove in runs in the third.
After another CSU run in the fifth, Ohio came back with the contest’s next seven runs on two in the sixth, one in the seventh and four in the eighth to pull to within one at 11-10. Catcher Sam Mahoney had a leadoff homer to right in the sixth and preseason All-American center fielder Gauntlett Eldemire followed five batters later with a run-scoring single to center.
Pinch hitter C.J. Maszal drove in Maddox with an RBI double to right center in the seventh before the Bobcats exploded for four tallies in the next inning. After second baseman Zach Keen and Yakubik reached on a pair of singles to left, Maddox scored both men on a monster blast to center field. Pinch hitter Tyler Backstrom then plated Ohio’s final run on a single to right, scoring Trace Voshell, who drew a 3-2 walk earlier in the inning.
CSU added its final run in the top of the ninth before Cowhy extinguished Ohio’s rally in the bottom half after inheriting two baserunners with no out.
The number or runners left on base by both teams were a telling stat as CSU stranded just four to Ohio’s 13.
Maddox now has five doubles and five homers on the season, while Eldemire swiped his seventh base of the season in the seventh inning.
Ohio will be back in action Friday at 3 p.m. ET for the first of a three-game series at Central Michigan.
