ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio baseball team (9-21, 5-12 MAC) split their doubleheader against Eastern Michigan (13-20, 8-6 MAC) Saturday, April 13. The Bobcats dropped game one 15-6 before defeating Eastern Michigan 7-4 in game two.
GAME ONE: Eastern Michigan 15, Ohio 6
Overall, Ohio scored six runs on 11 hits and committed one error, while Eastern Michigan scored 15 runs on 19 hits without committing any errors.
The Bobcats were led offensively by fifth year Alex Finney (Oxford, Mich.), who had three hits, one run, and recorded two RBIs. Freshman JR Nelson (Vernon Hills, Ill.) had an impressive first game with three hits, two runs and one RBI. Freshman Pauly Mancino (Westlake, Ohio) and graduate student Bryce Smith (Virginia Beach, Va.) combined for two RBIs and two hits.
On the mound, junior Dillon Masters (New Albany, Ohio) allowed seven runs on 11 hits, struck out two batters, and walked three in five innings pitched. Senior Luke Olson (Granville, Ill.) and redshirt junior Patrick Straub (Naperville, Ill.) each pitched one inning, and each allowed three runs on three hits with one strikeout. Freshman Trey Barkman (Kidron, Ohio) pitched the final inning, giving up two hits and two runs.
The Bobcats opened the scoring in the top of the first inning. Finney doubled down the left field line bringing Nelson across the plate to give Ohio an early 1-0 advantage. Eastern Michigan answered in the bottom of the second with a 6-run inning.
Ohio cut into the lead in the top of the third. Nelson doubled to left, bringing one Bobcat home, and setting himself up in scoring position. Three batters later Smith hit an RBI single, allowing Nelson to race home and set the score at 6-3. Eastern Michigan added a run to go up 7-3 in the bottom of the third.
The Bobcats continued to fight and chip into Eastern Michigan's lead. Mancino hit a solo homerun to give Ohio their fourth run. Finney contributed to Ohio's comeback by stealing home in the top of the fifth, putting the score at 7-5.
Eastern Michigan's bats came alive in the sixth, scoring eight runs in their final three innings. Ohio scored one run in the ninth and dropped game one 15-6.
GAME TWO: Ohio 7, Eastern Michigan 4
The Bobcats scored seven runs on nine hits and committed one error, and Eastern Michigan scored four runs on seven hits with one error.
Individually, Mancino and junior Jackson Cauthron (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) each had two timely RBIs for the Bobcats late in the game. Additionally, Mancino finished with one run on two hits, two RBIs, and one homerun and Cauthron had one run on one hit, two RBIs and one homerun. Freshman Ben Slanker (Canfield, Ohio) had one run on one hit and recorded one RBI.
Graduate student Tim Knapschaefer (Maria Stein, Ohio) won his third game of the season, allowing two runs on five hits, walked three and struck out five in six innings pitched. Junior Zach Weber (Lebanon, Ohio) was credited the save, pitching the final three innings, allowing two runs on two hits, walked one and struck out two.
The Bobcats were looking to bounce back from game one and wasted no time. A sacrifice fly gave Ohio their first run of the day and doubled their score with a one RBI triple to take a 2-0 lead. The Bobcat defense held steady, keeping Eastern Michigan with no runs through five.
Slanker hit his first homerun of the season, sending the ball over the right field fence for a solo homerun. Eastern Michigan's offense gained two runs in the bottom of the sixth, but Ohio still held the advantage at 3-2 after six.
Mancino opened the top of the eighth with a solo homerun to right, extending Ohio's lead to two. Cauthron was next to bat and followed with his own solo homerun over the right field fence. Eastern Michigan had another two-run inning in the eighth, tightening the score. Once again, Mancino and Cauthron stepped up for the Bobcats, each reaching on a fielder's choice for one RBI a piece, giving Ohio a three-run lead.
The Bobcat defense shut down Eastern Michigan in the bottom of the ninth, winning game two 7-4.
UP NEXT
The Bobcats will wrap up the three-game series against Eastern Michigan on Sunday, April 13. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. ET. Tune in to Russ Eisenstein on the Varsity Network App for the radio broadcast starting at 1:45 p.m.
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