April 17, 2011
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
Sunday's Photo Gallery
ATHENS, Ohio-The Ohio baseball team split a Sunday doubleheader with visiting Northern Illinois Sunday at Bob Wren Stadium, but the Huskies emerged with the 2-1 series victory.
The home team grabbed a 7-5 win in the first game, but dropped a 19-10 decision in the second game.
NIU is now 17-17 overall and 8-4 in the Mid-American Conference, while Ohio is 16-20 and 3-9 in the league.
NIU third baseman Troy White had a monster day, drilling a pair of home runs with eight RBIs. Designated hitter Jeff Zimmerman went 5-for-9. First baseman Joe Etcheverry, shortstop Alex Jones and center fielder Jamison Wells all scored four times.
Ohio was led by its third baseman as well, as Dan Ward also hit two homers with six RBIs as part of his 5-for-8 day. He, first baseman Taylor Emody, right fielder Adam Gecewich and second baseman Bryan Barnes all scored three times.
The Bobcats got out to a 6-0 lead in the first game with a run in the third, a tally in the fifth and two each in the sixth and seventh. Designated hitter Kory Burkhart knocked in the first run with a single through the left side and Gecewich scored in the fifth on Burkhart's double play ball.
Ward and second baseman Wes O'Neill both drove in runs in the sixth and Ward launched a two-run homer to left center in the seventh.
The Huskies cut the margin in half in the top of the eighth on a bases-clearing double by Frantini, but Gecewich scored on a wild pitch in the bottom half to give Ohio a 7-3 lead.
NIU plated two runs in the ninth to edge closer, but Bobcat reliever Tyler Stage got Frantini on a swinging strikeout to nail down his first save.
Brent Choban (3-3) got the win, giving up three runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and two walks in seven and two-thirds innings. NIU starter Tom Barry (3-2) took the loss, surrendering five earned runs on nine hits with six strikeouts and four walks in seven innings of work.
Center fielder Ethan Newton stole his 16th base of the season in the eighth inning.
The second game exploded right away as both teams put up four runs apiece in the first inning. The Bobcats answered the Huskies' runs with a three-run blast to center by Emody and Ward's second homer of the day to center.
The Bobcats looked to be in command as they put up two more in the second and three in the third. In the second, Ward lifted a sacrifice fly to center and designated hitter Seth Streich followed with a run-scoring single through the left side.
Gecewich started the scoring in the third with an RBI-triple to right center and Newton followed with an RBI groundout while Emody added a run-scoring single up the middle to give the home team a 9-4 lead.
The Huskies, however, erupted for 10 runs in the top of the fifth, eight of which came home with two out, to take a 14-9 lead.
The Bobcats answered with a tally in the bottom half on an infield single by Ward, but NIU put up four more in the sixth to put the game out of reach. The visitors also tacked one extra run in the top of the ninth.
NIU reliever Tony Manville (5-1) took the win, going seven innings with seven hits, one earned run, two strikeouts and three walks. Starter Jeremy Gonzales worked just two innings after giving up eight runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and four walks.
Ohio starter Jason Moulton (1-5) suffered the defeat after giving up six earned runs on nine hits with two strikeouts and six walks.
The Bobcats will be back in action Tuesday at Bob Wren Stadium when the Bearcats of Cincinnati visit Athens for a 6 p.m. start.
