The Ohio baseball team took one of three during the weekend against North Carolina-Greensboro. Ohio (3-6 overall) began the series with an 11-1 Friday loss, but regained its composure to win 7-3 Saturday before an 8-6 Sunday loss.
We did face three outstanding pitchers in Greensboro
Ohio coach Joe Carbone said. They're three guys that are going to be pretty good draft choices. Ohio mustered only five hits in the first game, not scoring until the seventh inning. Starter Dan O'Rourke (0-1) took the loss, giving up six runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings. Ohio sent relievers Luke Howard, Zeke Isaacs, and Brent DeCoster to take over for O'Rourke, but the Spartans hit attack prevailed.
During Saturday's game the teams appeared to switch positions as it was Greensboro (7-4) who struggled to six hits in a 7-3 win for Ohio.
Greensboro jumped out to a 2-0 lead with three hits in the first inning. Ohio, however, rebounded over the first three innings to take the lead. Outfielder Willie Walker plated the first Ohio run of the game on his second career home run. Catcher Ben Crabtree and infielder Bryant Witt added RBI singles to take a 3-2 lead after three innings.
Greensboro tied the score at 3-3 in the fifth, but that was the last of Greensboro's scoring. Starter Rob Harmon (2-0) worked a total of six innings, allowing just three runs and striking out five for his second win of the season.
He did a good job Carbone said.
Reliever Derek Witt followed Harmon's performance and came in to toss three solid innings of one-hit ball.
Ohio broke away from Greensboro on three straight two-out hits by catcher Phil Sabatini and infielders Brian Colopy and Anthony Gressick. The scoring ended in the eighth when Ohio added two more insurance runs for the 7-3 final.
Sabatini and Colopy led Ohio offensively in the series finale. Each hit solo home runs and Colopy extended his hitting streak to 15 games, but it was not enough to defeat Greensboro in an 8-6 Ohio loss.
Brian Colopy has been our best hitter throughout the whole season Carbone said. He's swinging the bat well and driving the ball. Ohio jumped out to a 2-0 lead and scored in four straight innings, but could still not manage enough runs for the victory. Greensboro finally surged ahead 8-5 in the sixth after an offensive shootout. Sabatini added a solo shot in the eighth, but it was Greensboro who shut Ohio down the rest of the way to take the series.
Ohio will have its home opening series beginning at 4 p.m. Friday when they play host to LeMoyne. The series will continue at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
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Nick Brockman
