Defensive errors and poor relief pitching soured Ohio's hitting barrage as the team played from behind nearly the entire ball game in their home opener.
Despite putting 12 runs on the board, Ohio (1-3) fell to West Virginia State (2-0) by a final of 13-12. The Yellow Jackets jumped out early, taking advantage of two Bobcat errors in the first inning that set up a three-run homer by Kyle Jones.
Ohio starting pitcher Yale Silverman allowed two more runs over the following two innings, but the Bobcats offense awoke in the third to provide support.
I didn't really have my best stuff today
but I battled through it for a little bit Silverman said. It was just a tough day to pitch.
Outfielder Matt Stiffler opened the bottom of the third with a walk. Next, pinch-hitter Kirk Payne delivered a two-run bomb to put the 'Cats on the board.
West Virginia State answered with an additional run in the top of the fifth, but Ohio exploded for seven of their own runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Infielder Bryant Witt began the bottom of the inning with a solid single. He later drove in the sixth and seventh runs of the inning on a double down the right field line.
I felt pretty good at the plate Witt said. I picked out some good pitches and hit them; that's basically all that happened really.
Others providing RBI singles in the rally included Anthony Gressick, Willie Walker, Jason Selhorst, and Hayden Johnston.
Despite Ohio's outburst, West Virginia State would not surrender, retaliating with six more runs in the top of the sixth to reclaim the lead, 11-9. Silverman exited in the inning to end his day, allowing seven hits and two earned runs in five and 1-3 innings.
We are scoring some runs
a decent amount of runs
Ohio coach Joe Carbone said. But the way we're pitching we need to score some more runs.
Bobcat pitching allowed five hits and four walks during the Yellow Jacket rally before second baseman Dusty Hammond ended the inning on an unassisted double play.
The Bobcats pushed another run across in the seventh on a two-out rally. Johnston stroked a double followed by another RBI single from Witt to cut the deficit to 11-10.
An additional run in the eighth evened the game at 11, but the Yellow Jackets tallied two runs in the ninth to break the tie and take a 13-11 lead.
Jon Vondrell added an RBI sacrifice fly in Ohio's last at-bat, but the Bobcats would get no closer.
I don't know that there's too many positives to take away from this one
Silverman said. We didn't give up
I'll say that. We didn't give up in the game. We came back and battled back to take the lead a couple times; (we) just couldn't hold it.
Ohio continues its 13-game home stand tomorrow when the Bobcats play host to Ohio Wesleyan at 4 p.m. at Bob Wren Stadium. Ohio will also be in action versus Otterbein at 1 p.m. Saturday and again at 1 p.m. Sunday against Rio Grande.
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Nick Brockman
