Zach Fairbanks knows he doesn't have anyone but himself to blame for Ohio's 16-5 loss to Cleveland State yesterday at Bob Wren Stadium.
The senior started his fourth game of the season but got into trouble early. The Vikings scored four runs in the top of the second, aided by a RBI double by Josh Hungerman and an error by Ohio shortstop Zach Keen.
It wasn't the start the Bobcats were looking for in their first home game in a week. The loss snapped Ohio's five-game winning streak, its longest of the season.
I was pitching high in the zone
Fairbanks said. (I) wasn't getting the ball down on my breaking pitches.
I feel like this kills our momentum we built up from the weekend.
Ohio responded with two runs in the bottom of the third when Robert Maddox III blasted a two-run home run to right. But after a 35-minute rain delay before the fourth inning Cleveland State took over.
Jon Foco led off the top of the fourth with a single. John Brown then bunted down the first baseline and reached when first baseman Jerod Yakubik couldn't handle the ball.
Josh Federico laid down another bunt down the third baseline to load the bases. A suicide squeeze by Brad Buell scored Foco. Kyle Shaffer followed with a RBI double and Alex Johnson then smacked a two-run triple.
Cleveland State led 10-2 entering the bottom of the fourth and Ohio never came close after that.
In the end
Maddox said the Vikings were just more on their game
outplaying their 6-15 record.
We don't take any team lightly, said the sophomore
who extended his hitting streak to eight games with his homer. They just outplayed us today.
Some sloppy play by Ohio didn't help.
Keen committed two errors at shortstop
increasing his team-leading season total to 11. When Cleveland State laid down three straight bunts in the fourth
the infield looked confused
and Kevin Mementowski failed to cover the ball from the mound.
Coach Joe Carbone said the physical errors
like Keen's
bother him less than the mental ones
