MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Ohio baseball team (7-31, 4-16 MAC) fell in both games of a Friday doubleheader on the road against Central Michigan (16-19, 9-11 MAC). The Bobcats lost the first game, 15-5 (7 innings) and the second game, 4-3 (10 innings).
Game 1: Central Michigan 15, Ohio 5 (7 innings)
Ohio finished game one with five runs on 11 hits with one error, while Central Michigan had 15 runs on 14 hits with one error.
At the plate, the Bobcats were led by infielder Dylan Shepherd (Barrie, Ontario), who recorded three RBIs on two hits, which included a two-RBI single in the seventh. Four other Bobcats also recorded multi-hit games with junior outfielders Taylor Harris (Parrish, Fla.) and Cameron Boyd (Villa Hills, Ky.), fifth-year infielder Will Henson (Chicago, Ill.), and redshirt junior infielder Cam Bryant (Miamisburg, Ohio) all tallying two-hit days. Boyd also led the Bobcats with two runs scored.
Freshman righthanded pitcher Mason Gass (Oakdale, Pa.) got the start for Ohio, going four and one-third innings, allowing 10 runs on nine hits with one strikeout.
The Chippewas put up two runs in the first and four runs in the third to take a 6-0 lead over the Bobcats into the fourth.
Ohio bounced back in the fourth with three runs after Boyd and Henson started the inning with a single and a triple. Shepherd and Bryant would tally RBIs in the inning to bring the score to 6-3.
Central Michigan would tack on all three runs they lost in the home half of the fourth to retake a 9-3 lead.
The Bobcats wouldn't score again till the seventh inning, where they found themselves in a sizeable 14-3 hole.
Shepherd brought home two runs in the seventh with a single to try to avoid the run-rule, but a single run for the Chippewas in the bottom half of the inning ended the game early.
Game 2: Central Michigan 4, Ohio 3 (10 innings)
Ohio scored three runs on seven hits without an error while Central Michigan tallied four runs on 12 hits with no errors.
Redshirt sophomore outfielder Max Palinski (Gates Mills, Ohio) and Harris each tallied an RBI in game two. Junior catcher Tyler Stack (Oswego, Ill.) was the only Bobcat to record multiple hits with his two singles.
Sophomore lefty Hunter Winston (Hinckley, Ohio) got the start for the Bobcats, going three and two thirds innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out five. In relief, lefty Dillon Masters (New Albany, Ohio) pitched five and one thirds innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits.
Winston was dominant to start the game for Ohio, giving its offense a chance to get on the board first. Redshirt freshman infielder Grant Wilson (Bradenton, Fla.) started the third with a double and would later come around to score on a Harris RBI to give the Bobcats a 1-0 lead.
The Bobcats added to their lead in the fourth when Henson got on base with a walk to start the inning and later scored on a wild pitch.
The Chippewas responded with a run of their own in the fourth to bring the score to 2-1.
Back-to-back hits to start the sixth for Ohio would later result in another run when Shepherd scored on a fielder's choice to make it 3-1.
On the heels of a great pitching performance from Masters and Wintson, the Bobcat lead would remain 3-1 headed into the game's final frame. With three outs to play with, the Chippewas were able to close the gap and tie the game at 3-3 to force a 10th inning.
Central Michigan put runners on base to start the 10th and would later win the game with a walk-off single.
Up next, the Bobcats will conclude their series with Central Michigan on Saturday, April 18. That game will get started at 1 p.m.
#OUohyeah
