After playing a 14-inning marathon Saturday, the Bobcats found themselves in extra innings against the Zips again yesterday.
But the offense made sure the series finale finished much quicker.
Ohio scored three runs in the 11th and held off the Zips in extra innings for the second consecutive day, winning 13-10 yesterday at Lee Jackson Field in Akron, Ohio.
The Bobcats (20-30, 13-11 Mid-American Conference) swept all three games from the Zips (20-31, 3-21 MAC) and have won six in a row. They reached an above .500 record in the MAC for the first time all season.
Ohio moved into a sixth-place tie with Eastern Michigan in the conference standings and clinched a berth in the MAC Tournament.
There's a big difference in being one game over .500 on a weekend or three games over .500
said coach Joe Carbone. We knew if we won (yesterday's game) depending on what happened with Northern (Illinois) and Ball State we had a chance of making sure we were in the tournament.
A two-run home run by Robert Maddox III in the eighth inning gave Ohio a seemingly comfortable 8-4 lead yesterday, but the Zips answered with two in the bottom of the eighth and two more in the ninth to tie the game.
Maddox put the Bobcats back ahead with another two-run blast in the 10th to make it 10-8. Akron responded with two more of its own in the bottom of the inning.
But with two men on and two outs, Michael Dillon struck out Nick Solitario to keep the game going.
Carbone used four pitchers to make it through the inning.
We just made some moves to try to match up our best pitchers against their hitters
Carbone said.
Saturday
Kris Mcdonough tied the game 3-3 with an RBI single in the eighth that scored Bryan Barnes. That would be the last run by either team until Barnes broke the tie with a two-run double down the right field line.
Senior Bryce Butt came on in relief of Seth Streich in the sixth inning and threw nine scoreless frames to earn the win.
(Akron) started using some pitchers over again, and they weren't nearly as effective as they were the day before, Carbone said. So what Bryce did for us was huge.
Junior Jason Moulton set the tone again in the series opener. The reigning MAC East Pitcher of the Week threw a complete game Friday. He allowed one unearned run and struck out seven batters in Ohio's 6-1 victory.
We really missed him when he was injured (earlier in the season), Carbone said. So he's showing what he's very capable of doing. He's starting to come around now - he's a real competitor.
After starting the season with 22 losses in 25 games
the Bobcats are 17-8 in their last 25 games.
They enter the final week of the regular season with their tournament berth secured - something Carbone said will help the team set its pitching rotation for the postseason.
We want to beat Miami, but we have to do it and still prepare for the tournament, Carbone said.,",2,Sports,Vince Nairn,31781a.jpg,Kris McDonough takes a swing against Buffalo May 8 at Bob Wren Stadium. Ohio beat the Bulls 17-5 and swept Akron over the weekend. (Zach Nelson | PICTURE EDITOR),",",",Quick Stats,Friday
Lee Jackson Field
Akron
Ohio
OHIO (20-30
13-11 MAC) 6
Akron (20-31
