The Ohio baseball team fell 3-0 to Vanderbilt yesterday evening for its fourth straight loss.
The Bobcats could not muster any run support despite some quality innings from Ohio pitchers.
Ohio starter Cody Neyman (0-1) threw five innings to take the loss despite giving up only six hits and one run.
I had a lot more accuracy than I usually do
Neyman said. (My) curveball was working. I was just trying to keep (Vanderbilt) off balance.
The Commodores first struck in the fifth inning to take a 1-0 lead. Neyman's only earned run came on a RBI single after the leadoff batter singled and advanced on a sacrifice.
Reliever Dan Utts replaced Neyman in the sixth inning. Utts retired the side during the sixth but surrendered two runs on three hits during the Vanderbilt half of the seventh, stretching Vanderbilt's lead to 3-0.
Ohio struggled the entire game offensively, collecting only three hits.
With one out in the eighth, first baseman Jon Vondrell walked. Next, left fielder Matt Stiffler singled to left, advancing Vondrell to second. However, the next batter, pinch-hitter Michael Forchione, grounded into an inning-ending double play to end the threat.
Stiffler (2-3) collected two of the three Bobcat hits on the day -second baseman Dusty Hammond (1-4) had the other Ohio hit.
I liked what Matt Stiffler did out in left field Ohio coach Joe Carbone said. He swung the bat well and got a couple of base hits for us.
Reliever Yale Silverman took over for Ohio during the eighth inning. Silverman finished the game, giving up only two hits while striking out two.
Ohio was able to put a runner on second with one out in the bottom of the ninth but could not create any runs.
The Bobcats return to MAC play this weekend at Akron -the final series of the year for Ohio.
Ohio must sweep Akron this weekend, accompanied by two Miami wins over Kent State to make the MAC Tournament.
Coach Wren used to say as long as you're playing for it on the last weekend that means you've had a good year
Carbone said.
Senior co-captain Phil Sabatini also mentioned the significance of this weekend's series.
It's not going to be any different than any other series
Sabatini said. We're going to go in there and try to win
but we're going to be playing for something.
Ohio plays at 3 p.m. Friday at Akron in the first of a three-game series.
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