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ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio baseball team split a double header with Northern Illinois to open Mid-American Conference play on Friday (March 8). Northern Illinois won the first game 8-6 in extra innings and Ohio took the second game 4-1.
The Bobcats found themselves behind early after the Huskies collected three runs in the first two innings. They started to slowly chip away at the lead in the bottom of the second, though. Fifth year Alex Finney (Oxford, Mich.) knocked a double into left to score redshirt junior AJ Rausch (Powell, Ohio), who walked to lead off the inning.
Starter redshirt senior Jacob Tate (Louisville, Tenn.) kept Northern Illinois out of scoring position in the third to help Ohio later take the lead. Senior Gideon Antle (Licking, Mo.) gave Ohio its one-run boost on his third three-run home run of the week.
"He's been staying pretty consistent with with his production, in terms of getting hits in big situations, big hits and big situations. He's kind of the guy that's igniting the offense a little bit with those hits," head coach Craig Moore said.
Northern Illinois didn't let Ohio get comfortable in the lead before it tied the game for the first time. It earned its fourth run on a sacrifice fly by Colin Summerhill.
Tate retired the Huskies in order in the fifth for his final inning of work. He ended the afternoon with four strikeouts while having allowed four runs on five hits. Graduate Student Tim Knapschaefer (Maria Stein, Ohio) took over in the sixth inning. Knapschaefer pitched three clean innings before the Huskies hit a solo home run in the top of the ninth.
The Bobcats made no haste to send the game into extra innings. They tied the game after the Huskies' center fielder made an error in the bottom of the ninth.
Junior Zach Weber (Lebanon, Ohio) came in for Knapschaefer in the middle of the top of the 10th after Northern Illinois scored on a single. Knapschaefer ended the afternoon with five strikeouts over his four and one-thirds innings.
"Tim's awesome. He's my man and he brings a little fire to the team," Junior Dillon Masters (New Albany, Ohio) said. "He's a good guy and went out there and did his job."
Ohio once again tied the game in the bottom half of the 10th on a solo home run by freshman Pauly Mancino (Westlake, Ohio). Mancino, who ended the game one double shy of the cycle, led Ohio with three hits in game one.
Northern Illinois put the final pin in game one in the top of the 11th with two RBI singles.
Game two started off with three scoreless innings from both teams. The Bobcats broke the stalemate in the bottom of the fourth after Finney drew a bases-loaded walk and redshirt Junior Nick Dolan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) hit a triple to clear the bases. Dolan led the Bobcats in game two with three RBIs.
"It was good to see Nick perform that way. He hasn't been getting opportunities, and he's been working hard. He's been he's been continuing to come to practice to get better and work. We gave him an opportunity that game two and he took advantage of that opportunity," Moore said.
Starter Masters used his slider and curveball to keep the Huskies off the board. In his first win of the season, Masters didn't face more than five batters in an inning. He struck out six batters and allowed no runs on five hits through five innings.
Junior Tyler Peck (Oak Creek, Wis.) continued the trend for two more scoreless innings, ultimately giving Northern Illinois its only run in the bottom of the eighth. Peck earned his second save of the season for his four innings of work.
Five Bobcats recorded hits in game two. Among those were Dolan, Rausch, Antle, junior Wes Lug (Huntersville, N.C.) and freshman JR Nelson (Vernon Hills, Ill.).
Ohio is set to take on Northern Illinois for the final game of the series Saturday (March 9) at 2 p.m.
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