April 5, 2011
Final Stats
ATHENS, Ohio-Ohio third baseman Dan Ward and right fielder Adam Gecewich both blasted bases-clearing doubles and the Bobcat pitching staff allowed nary an earned run as the home team downed West Virginia State 12-4 Tuesday evening at Bob Wren Stadium.
The Bobcats improved to 15-13 overall, while the Yellow Jackets dropped to 12-7.
Ward finished with five RBIs and two runs scored and first baseman Taylor Emody added two hits and three runs. Ethan Newton extended his hitting streak to six games with a 2-for-3 effort, while left fielder Jensen Painter scored twice and walked three times.
WVSU got two hits from right fielder Noah Blackhurst and a pair of RBIs from shortstop Russell Thompson.
Ohio reliever Ben Trimbur (2-2) got the win, tossing three innings without allowing an earned run on two hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Starter Shane Henkel pitched five innings as well, allowing four hits, an unearned run and four strikeouts. Ryan Burgett got the last three outs with one walk.
Yellow Jacket reliever Todd Flemming (0-1) took the loss, giving up five earned runs on two hits with no strikeouts and two walks in just a third of an inning.
Ward put Ohio on top early with an RBI single to right in the second inning, but the Yellow Jackets tied it with a tally in the fourth.
The floodgates opened, though, in the sixth and seventh as the Bobcats scored 11 times and batted around in both frames. The sixth inning's first run came home on a sacrifice fly to right by pinch hitter Kory Burkhart, which preceded Ward's double and another sacrifice fly to center by catcher J.R. Reynolds.
After the seventh inning's first run scored on an error, Gecewich's shot into the left-center field gap cleared the bases and Painter later drew a bases-loaded walk for the other RBI.
WVSU got three in the eighth for the game's final margin.
The Yellow Jackets, who used seven pitchers during the contest, gave up five Ohio stolen bases. Newton had one of those to give him a team-high 13.
The Bobcats will host Xavier Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. ET before returning to Mid-American Conference play this weekend at Western Michigan.
