April 6, 2012

Box Score

DeKALB, Ill. - Senior captain Ethan Newton and freshman catcher Cody Gaertner had four RBI apiece to lead the Ohio University baseball team (14-15, 4-3 MAC) past Northern Illinois Friday afternoon at Ralph McKinzie Field.

Ohio's win over Northern Illinois was its third straight victory over a MAC opponent. It also marked the fourth victory in the last six games for the Bobcats.

"We struggled for about five innings offensively, but down the stretch we really came on and were able to put some runs on the board, which was great to see," said head coach Joe Carbone.

Newton (Norfolk, Va.) and Gaertner (Allison Park, Pa.) combined for four hits and eight RBI to lead the Bobcats' offensive output. Gaertner along with teammate Dan Schmidt (Kamiak, Wash.) also scored three runs apiece.

As a team, Ohio collected 10-or-more hits for the 13th time in its last 17 games. Freshman Jake Madsen (Cincinnati, Ohio) however was held hitless for the first time in 21-games. Senior Jensen Painter (Willshire, Ohio) continued his streak of getting on base for the 29th-consecutive game.

Senior Brent Choban (Rittman, Ohio) earned his team-best fourth win on the year for the Bobcats as he worked 6.2 innings, scattered six hits and allowed just two earned runs. In eight starts this year, Choban has not gone fewer than six innings.

"Brent didn't have his best stuff today, but he was still able to get the victory and he threw strikes and that's what's most important," Carbone said. "He's been bothered by a bad ankle, so his velocity wasn't what it normally is, but he never complained. He just went out there and did his job."

Ohio was to just three hits over the first five innings, but in the final four frames of the game, the Bobcats exploded for 13 runs and 10 hits.

Northern Illinois jumped out to a 2-0 lead after two innings and would hold the lead until the top of the sixth when Ohio plated four runs to take a 4-2 lead. Gaertner highlighted the frame for the Cats' as drove in a pair of runs.

Ohio struck again in the eighth as it scored three runs on four hits. Newton had the big hit in the inning as he hit a two out triple to right center which plated a pair of runners.

The Cats' scoring spree continued in the ninth inning as it plated six runs on just three hits. Northern Illinois committed three of its six errors in the final frame. In the bottom half of the ninth, junior right-hander Brett Barber (Hurricane, W. Va.) slammed the door to pick up his team-leading third save on the year.

Ohio returns to action tomorrow against Northern Illinois at 2:05 p.m. Senior Jason Moulton (Toledo, Ohio) will get the start for the Bobcats.