Ohio was felled by good pitching efforts for Middle Tennessee State this weekend as the Blue Raiders swept the Bobcats.
The Blue Lightning trio of junior Hunter Adkins, freshman Jonathan Frebis and junior Jonathan Sisco combined to limit the Bobcats to two runs during the weekend. The Blue Raiders outscored the Bobcats 10-2 during the series.
Friday, Adkins tossed a complete-game shutout for the Blue Raiders in a 4-0 victory, striking out four, allowing eights hits and no walks.
Frebis followed up Saturday, pitching six innings and only giving up a solo home run to Ohio freshman outfielder Tyler Wells en route to a 2-1 Middle Tennessee win.
Ohio senior Brent Choban worked six innings, allowing just one earned run on seven hits and one walk.
Ohio lost the series finale to Middle Tennessee State 4-1 Sunday with another Blue Raider turning in a stellar pitching performance. Sisco had some trouble in the first inning, surrendering a run. He settled down quickly, however, at one point retiring 13 Ohio batters in a row.
Sisco pitched six innings, and allowed four hits with seven strikeouts. Senior Jason Moulton started for Ohio and gave up three runs in five innings.
Ohio baseball coach Joe Carbone said even though he had to give Middle Tennessee credit, the Bobcats’ hitters will improve after seeing more live pitching.
“We had some opportunities to score some runs that we didn’t capitalize on, it just comes with more at bats and more games,” Carbone said.
He said the Bobcats were better at the end of the weekend than they were when the series kicked off Friday, adding that the series gave Ohio something to build on.
“It’s tough to win on the road, down south early in the year and when you play good teams like we’re playing it’s even tougher,” Carbone said. “But that makes you better, helps you find out what you need to do to get better and that’s what we’re finding out.”
The Bobcats travel to North Carolina Friday to participate in the 2012 Davidson Tournament.
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