May 10, 2015
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FINAL: Ohio 10 (29-18, 14-9 MAC), Eastern Michigan 2 (18-32, 8-16 MAC)- Ypsilanti, Mich. (Oestrike Stadium)
OHIO STARTERS: Manny De Jesus (CF), Garrett Black (SS), Mitch Longo (LF), Jake Madsen (1B), Cody Gaertner (C), Tyler Wells (RF), John Adryan (3B), Ty Black (2B), Nate Squires (DH), Jake Rudnicki (P)
EASTERN MICHIGAN STARTERS: Adam Dennison (DH), John Rubino (2B), John Montgomery (1B), Jordan Peterson (CF), Michael Mioduszewski (LF), Mitchell McGeein (3B), Jackson Martin (RF), Tony DiLeo (C), David Lett (SS),
Jordan Peterson (CF), John Rubino (2B), John Montgomery (1B), Michael Mioduszewski (LF), Adam Dennison (RF), Mitchell McGeein (3B), Jackson Martin (RF), Tony DiLeo (C), David Lett (SS), Sam Delaplane (P)
THE BASICS
The Ohio baseball team (30-18, 15-9 MAC) secured its first 30-win season in 12 years by rolling to a 10-2 victory and a weekend series sweep of Mid-American Conference West Division foe Eastern Michigan (18-32, 8-16 MAC) in the Sunday (May 10) series finale at Oestrike Stadium.
The Bobcats pounded their way to a 10-3 win in the Saturday (May 9) series clincher after blanking the Eagles, 5-0, in the series opener on Friday (May 8).
Ohio has tallied five road series sweeps in 2015 and three MAC series sweeps -- the program's most since posting three 2012. The Bobcats have recorded four MAC series victories in eight tries this year.
The Bobcats have secured a berth in the 2015 MAC Championship, which will be held May 20-24 at All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, Ohio. Ohio returns to the league's postseason tournament for the first time since 2012.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Eight of nine Bobcats in the batting order finished with a hit.
- Redshirt junior Cody Gaertner (Pittsburgh, Pa.) led the way with a 2-for-4 effort that included a double and a run scored.
- Senior Jake Madsen (Cincinnati, Ohio) finished with a hit, a walk and three RBI. His Ohio all-time hits record now stands at 274 career base knocks.
- Redshirt senior Garrett Black (Lima, Ohio) tallied a double, a walk, two RBI and two runs scored.
- Junior Manny De Jesus (Caguas, P.R.) posted a double, two walks and two runs scored.
- Sophomore right-handed starting pitcher Jake Rudnicki (Toledo, Ohio) tossed 4.1 frames, giving up two runs -- one of which was earned -- on four hits and a walk. He fanned one.
- Sophomore right-handed reliever Tom Colletti (Wheaton, Ill.) pitched 1.2 scoreless frames and surrendered one hit while striking out one to earn the mound triumph. He improved to 4-2 on the season.
- Senior right-handed closer Logan Cozart (New Philadelphia, Ohio) tossed three perfect innings and tallied three strikeouts to increase his program single-season saves record total to 11.
- Eastern Michigan sophomore right-handed starting pitcher Sam Delaplane suffered the loss, falling to 5-3 on the year. He allowed three earned runs on four hits and three walks while striking out two over five innings.
- Sophomore right-handed reliever Matthew Beaton pitched two perfect frames for the Eagles, fanning two.
- Senior right-handed reliever Ryan Lavoie was tagged for seven earned runs on five hits and four walks in two innings of work for Eastern Michigan. He struck out one.
- The Eagles were led at the plate by a two-hit effort by junior Jordan Peterson that included a double.
- Ohio grabbed a three-run advantage in the top of the third inning. Redshirt sophomore Nate Squires (Plain City, Ohio) legged out a one-out infield single to short, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. De Jesus joined him on the bases by drawing a walk. That set the stage for an RBI double to left center by Garrett Black that scored Squires and gave the Bobcats a 1-0 lead. After sophomore Mitch Longo (Mayfield, Ohio) drew a walk, De Jesus scored from third on a wild pitch. Garrett Black then tagged up from third and scored Ohio's third run on a sacrifice fly to center by Madsen.
- Eastern Michigan made it a one-run game by plating a run in the home half of the third, then another in the fourth. In the third, sophomore John Montgomery coaxed a one-out walk, advanced to third on a double down the left field line by Peterson and then scored by way of a sacrifice fly to center by redshirt sophomore Michael Mioduszewski. The Eagles made it a 3-2 affair in the following frame when junior Jackson Martin hit a leadoff base hit to center, moved to third on an Ohio throwing error by Rudnicki and scored on an RBI ground out second by redshirt senior Adam Dennison.
- A two-hour rain and lightning delay put the brakes on the contest, but the skies cleared with Cozart retiring the Eagles in order in both the bottom of the seventh and eighth.
- The Bobcats put an exclamation point on their weekend series sweep with a seven-run top of the ninth that saw Ohio bat around. Gaertner got things started with a leadoff double down the left field line, then scored on another double down the left field line by senior Tyler Wells (Lexington, Ky.). Wells moved to third on a single to center by junior John Adryan (Delran, N.J.), who was then replaced on the bases by sophomore Tyler Finkler (Olmsted Falls, Ohio). Finkler then stole second and advanced to third on an Eastern Michigan throwing error by junior catcher Tony DiLeo, allowing Wells to score and made it 5-2 in favor of Ohio. Sophomore Ty Black (Waynesville, Ohio) drew a walk, and, one out later, De Jesus drew an intentional walk to load the bases for the Bobcats. Garrett Black bumped home Finkler by coaxing a walk. An RBI single to right by Longo plated Ty Black. Madsen followed with a two-RBI base hit through the left side to drive home De Jesus and Garrett Black and make it a 9-2 affair. After Gaertner was hit by a pitch to reload the bases, Longo scored one out later when Finkler pushed him across by drawing a walk.
- Cozart sealed the deal by sitting Eastern Michigan down in order in the bottom of the ninth.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Bobcats are now 15-8 on the road in 2015. Ohio's 15 road victories mark the program's most since capturing 16 in 1997 en route to the program's most recent MAC title and NCAA Championship appearance.
- Ohio has won 15 of its last 22 games -- including 11 of its last 15.
- The Bobcats swept a season series from Eastern Michigan for the first time ever.
- Gaertner recorded his 17th multi-hit game of the year.
- Madsen drove in multiple runs for the seventh time this season -- including his fourth contest with at least three RBI.
- Garrett Black tallied his fifth multi-RBI game of the year. He's reached base safely in a team-high 10 straight games and is tied with Wells with a team-long seven-game hitting streak. Wells has also reached base safely in seven straight games.
- Adryan has a five-game hitting streak.
UP NEXT
Ohio closes the 2015 regular season with a 'Battle of the Bricks' road trip to Oxford to face MAC East Division archrival Miami. Game one begins on Thursday (May 14) at 6 p.m. ET while game two is on Friday (May 15) at 6 p.m. ET. The series concludes Saturday (May 16) at 3 p.m. ET.
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