The Bobcats fell into a hole early and could not climb out of it.
Ohio's late-inning rally fell short and the Bobcats fell to Cleveland State, 12-10 last night at Bob Wren Stadium.
The Vikings (5-14) jumped on the Bobcats (3-18) in the early innings. After striking out the first batter of the game, freshman Matt Robin allowed the next five batters to reach base as the Vikings scored four in the top of the first.
Seth Streich put the Bobcats on the board with his second home run of the year in the second inning, but Cleveland State answered with three more runs in the third to go ahead 7-1.
Ohio scored two in the third, but Bob Suitca hit a three-run home run in the fourth for the Vikings. Cleveland State added another in the fifth to go ahead, 11-3.
But the Bobcats rallied. Catcher Sam Mahoney led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run, and centerfielder Gauntlett Eldemire had a two-out RBI single to pull Ohio within 11-5.
The Bobcats added another in the seventh and a three-run home run by Robert Maddox III in the eighth made it an 11-9 game. A pinch-hit single by Tyler Backstrom made it 11-10, but the Bobcats did not get closer.
After Cleveland State scored in the top of the ninth to extend its lead to 12-10, the Bobcats had runners on second and third with one out in the bottom half. Jerod Yakubik hit a blooping fly ball into left field, and Cleveland State shortstop Tom Carter made a diving catch to prevent Ohio from scoring.
He made a great play
coach Joe Carbone said. That saved the game right there.
Maddox was intentionally walked to load the bases before Trace Voshell flied out to center field to end the game.
The progress is good Maddox said about the team's comeback. It's just putting all the pieces of the puzzle together at the beginning of the game.
Maddox reached base five times and had four RBI for the Bobcats.
Ohio pulled some of its starters after the team fell behind, which gave younger players a chance to play. Many of them had hits during the team's attempt to get back in the game.
The position players got in there and did an incredible job - all of them did Carbone said. It's kind of a work in progress; we're a very young team.
Carbone used seven pitchers, but the Vikings hammered almost everybody that took the mound for the Bobcats.
Freshman Andrew Danko provided a lone bright spot on the mound for Ohio. The lefty entered with two outs in the sixth and retired all seven batters he faced, striking out five of them.
(Danko) is just getting over mono
so we haven't been able to use him at all
Carbone said. The last time we used him
he did a good job in a shorter outing.
We planned on giving him more pitches tonight just to see how he would do - he did a real good job.
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Sports
Vince Nairn
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