March 19, 2011
Game 1 Box (Friday)
Game 2 Box
Game 3 Box
ATHENS, Ohio-The Ohio baseball team completed a suspended game and then split a scheduled doubleheader with the visiting Milwaukee Panthers Saturday at Bob Wren Stadium.
The Bobcats picked up 4-3 and 6-4 wins, while the Panthers secured a 7-2 victory. Ohio is now 9-9, while Milwaukee stands at 3-12.
Ohio center fielder Ethan Newton, first baseman Taylor Emody and left fielder Jensen Painter all had three hits during the action, while Painter drove in four runs. Newton scored three runs and swiped two bases.
Milwaukee center fielder Doug Dekoning and catcher Paul Hoenecke both registered five hits and Dekoning scored four times to go along with 10 total bases and an .833 slugging percentage.
The two teams picked up Friday's suspended game in the eighth inning after the action was stopped the night before due to a second rainstorm. As it turns out, extra baseball would be needed to determine a winner as the game remained in a 3-all deadlock as it continued into the 11th inning. It was in the bottom half of that inning that Ohio pitcher/designated hitter Seth Streich abruptly ended the contest with a solo homer to right, his first round-tripper of the season.
Streich's hit made a winner of Ohio reliever Ben Trimbur (1-2), who tossed the Bobcats' last two and one-third innings, allowing just two hits with three strikeouts. Panthers' reliever Culyer Franzke (0-1) took the loss, as he allowed the game-winning homer in one and one-third innings with two strikeouts.
The first game of the doubleheader was a much different story as Milwaukee starter Eric Semmelhack (1-3) went the distance on the mound and had full command of the contest, powering the Panthers to victory. He allowed just two runs on four hits with three strikeouts and one walk. Ohio starter Matt Robin (2-2) was charged with the loss, but didn't give up an earned run in six and one-third innings, with five hits, four strikeouts and two walks.
Milwaukee got its offense with two runs in the fourth, four in the seventh and one in the eighth, before Ohio put up a couple of runs in the ninth for the final margin. In that frame, Painter knocked a two-run single to left, plating Newton and pinch-hitter Zach Ross.
Shortstop Nick Lingvay had a pair of hits and RBIs for Milwaukee in that contest.
The Panthers jumped on top early again in the second game with single runs in the first and second before Ohio responded with an RBI-single to left by second baseman Bryan Barnes in the third.
The Bobcats went on top 3-2 in the sixth when designated hitter Kory Burkhart laced a two-run single to left, plating right fielder Adam Gecewich and catcher Kyle Dean.
Milwaukee tied the game with a tally in the seventh, but Ohio got two more in the bottom of the inning and one more in the eighth for good measure. In the seventh, Gecewich plated Painter with an infield single and, after an errant Milwaukee throw, third baseman Dan Ward came home as well. Painter knocked in the eighth-inning score with an RBI-single down the right field line.
The Panthers were able to muster a run in the ninth, but Ohio reliever Brett Barber nailed down the win, and his save, with a double play ball to end the contest.
Ohio's seventh-inning heroics made Bobcat reliever Marck Paliotto (1-1) the victor, as he got the final out of the Panthers' at bat in the top of the seventh. Barber got the last six outs, allowing a run on two hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Panther reliever Kyle Spurley (0-2) was tagged with the loss, despite allowing just two unearned runs with two walks in an inning of work.
The two teams will play the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
