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ATHENS, Ohio — The Ohio baseball team dropped a doubleheader to Eastern Michigan Saturday afternoon (March 29). Eastern took game one 9-5 and game two 18-13.
Game one
The stalemate ended in the third inning. Eastern Michigan scored on a groundout to first base to put itself on the board first. However, Ohio countered in the bottom of the inning on a single by freshman Matt Ineich (South Lyon, Mich.)
Ohio had a breakthrough in the fourth to set it apart. Senior Jackson Cauthron (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and redshirt senior Nick Dolan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) pulled off a double steal to bring in the first run. A few at-bats later, graduate student Trenton Neuer (Nicholasville, Ky.) laid a bunt single to the left side of the infield to score Cauthron. Sophomore JR Nelson (Vernon Hills, Ill.) capped off the run with an RBI single.
Nelson added another run in the sixth with a single into centerfield.
Starter Hudson Boncal (Corona, Calif.) exited the game after seven quality innings. Boncal allowed one run on four hits and struck out three batters. The outing was his fourth start of the season and fourth appearance in which he went six or more innings.
Eastern Michigan posted a successful comeback bid in the top of the ninth. The rally started on a two-run home run and continued on an RBI-hit batter. Eastern Michigan added a pair of singles and a double to secure the win.
Game two
The Eagles jumped out early with four runs in the top of the first inning. They later added six more runs in the top of the third to solidify their lead.
Ohio tried to come through with a home run by Ineich in the bottom of the first and two runs in the bottom of the third. It added on six more runs in the bottom of the fourth – one of which was on graduate student Blake Reed's (Gahanna, Ohio) first career home run. However, Eastern Michigan posted six of its own in the next half inning.
By the time the Bobcats scraped together four runs on three singles and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth, it was too late. The Eagles had the win in their hands.
Ohio will be back in action on Tuesday (April 1) to face Morehead State. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. at Bob Wren Stadium.
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