RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Ohio Baseball team (1-5) dropped both games of its doubleheader with California Baptist (8-0) today at Totman Stadium. Ohio lost the first game, 7-4, and the second game, 4-1. The Bobcats will wrap up the series tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

GAME 1 (BOX SCORE)

Ohio was led by freshman C/INF Zyon Avery (Indianapolis, Ind.) in game one, who hit his first career home run in the fourth inning for the Bobcats. Avery finished 1-for-4 with the home run and one RBI. Redshirt junior C Nathan Mallott (Omaha, Neb.) was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

The Bobcats jumped on the board in the first inning when sophomore OF Sebastain Fabik (Lebanon, Ohio) scored on a wild pitch. Fabik reached on a hit-by-pitch and moved over on a stolen base and infield single by senior INF Rudy Rott (Holmen, Wis.).

Rott finished the day 1-for-3 with a walk and single.

California Baptist answered back with two runs in the bottom half of the first inning and tacked on two more in the third to give the Lancers a 4-1 advantage.

The Bobcats trimmed the lead to 4-2 on the Avery home run that led off the inning. 

CBU scored one run in the fifth and sixth inning to go ahead 6-2.

Ohio posted two runs in the top of the seventh. Redshirt junior OF Ryan Sargent (Algonquin, Ill.) started the inning off with a double to left field. Junior INF Trevor Hafner (Perrysburg, Ohio) reached on an error, allowing Sargent to score. A Mallott double brought home Hafner, who had advanced into scoring position on the previous play.

Sargent's day ended at 1-for-4 with a double and one run scored. Hafner reached base twice during the first game and was 1-for-4 with a single and run scored. 

Cal Baptist was able to add one more run in the eighth for the final score of 7-4.

Freshman LHP Joe Rock (Aliquippa, Pa.) was given the loss after tossing 5.0 innings as Ohio's starter. Rock allowed four earned runs and five overall while striking out four batters. Rock is now 1-1 this season. Rock has tossed 7.2 innings and stuckout seven batters.

Freshman RHP Matt Brosky (Strongsville, Ohio) threw 1.2 innings of relief and allowed 1 earned run and two hits. Redshirt senior Nick Kamrada (Grand Ledge, Mich.) finished the game for Ohio on the mound after pitching 1.1 innings and allowing one earned run while striking out one batter.

GAME 2 (BOX SCORE)

Ohio allowed just one earned run in the 4-1 loss to Cal Baptist. Redshirt freshman RHP Jack Liberatore (Greensburg, Pa.) had the tough-luck loss for the Bobcats after throwing 5.1 innings without allowing an earned run. Liberatore fanned seven batters and allowed just four hits, but three runs scored with Liberatore on the mound. Liberatore dropped to 0-1 on the season and has a 2.08 ERA in 8.2 innings pitched this season.

Junior LHP Nick Byrnes (Cincinnati, Ohio) fanned both batters he faced in 0.2 innings of relief. Sophomore LHP Brett Manis pitched a perfect seventh inning, striking out two batters while not allowing a runner to reach base. Sophomore Edward Kutt IV (Westlake, Calif.) tossed the eighth inning and allowed one earned run.

After two scoreless innings, the Bobcats broke open the scoring in the top of the third. With one out, freshman INF Ryan Strittmather (Vermilion, Ohio) was hit by a pitch. He advanced to second on an Aaron Levy (Cincinnati, Ohio) single through the right side of the infield. Strittmather scored to take a 1-0 lead when Rott reached on an error by the second baseman.

CBU answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning and was able to tack on one run in the bottom of the eighth.

Redshirt sophomore Dan McCauley (Pittsburgh, Pa.) was 2-for-3 with a double in the second game of the twin bill. Redshirt freshman OF Trevor Lukkes and Levy both had singles for Ohio.

The Bobcats will wrap up the series on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.