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Box Score (PDF)

ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio baseball team (25-21, 16-17 MAC) fell to Ball State (33-16, 24-9 MAC) in the series opener with a 4-3 loss on Friday (May 21) evening at Bob Wren Stadium.

The Cardinals opened the scoring in the second inning when junior pitcher Joe Rock (Aliquippa, Pa.) threw a wild pitch that scored a run from third base.

Both teams were then held scoreless until the seventh inning when Ball State lengthened its lead to three with a sacrifice fly and a throwing error by Ohio that scored another run. Rock (8-3) finished with a loss after six and 2/3 innings. He gave up two earned runs on five hits with nine strikeouts and no walks.

The Bobcats answered back in the seventh inning with two runs of their own. Senior outfielder Isaiah Peterson (Lincoln, Neb.) put Ohio on the board with a sacrifice fly that scored redshirt junior Trevor Lukkes (Tustin, Calif.).

Graduate infielder Trevor Hafner (Perrysburg, Ohio) brought the Bobcats back within a run later in the inning with a single to score a runner from third.

Ball State was able to score another run in the top of the eighth inning to extend its lead to two, but it was cut to one by a leadoff home run in the bottom of the inning by redshirt junior Spencer Harbert (Middletown, Del.).

Ohio outhit the Cardinals 11-8 in the loss, stranding eight runners on base. The Bobcats also had two errors.

The Bobcats will return to action at home for a doubleheader against the Cardinals on Saturday (May 22). First pitch for game one of the first of two seven-inning contests will be at 1 p.m. ET.

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