Ohio kicked off its eight-game road trip, traveling to Morehead, Kentucky, to face off against the Morehead State Eagles. The Bobcats looked to bounce back after being swept by Kent State in a three-game series that ended Saturday.
On the bump for the Bobcats was freshman lefty Evan Lichtenauer. Both teams were held scoreless for the first two innings, with Kent State stranding a runner after a 1-out single in the bottom of the first.
At the top of the third, the Eagles grabbed the momentum, drawing a lead-off walk and moving the runner to second on a sac bunt, and broke the tie with a double to center to hold a 1-0 lead heading into the fourth inning.
Ohio added its first hit of the game with a 2-out single from senior Dylan Shepherd before the Bobcats stranded him on a groundout to third. Lichtenhauer fought off trouble in the bottom of the fourth after giving up back-to-back 2-out singles. He went on to force a groundout to second to end the inning.
Ohio continued to create opportunities with a leadoff double in the fifth to right from junior Cameron Boyd, forcing the Eagles to go to the pen with 2 outs. The Bobcats stranded two with an inning-ending punch out.
The Eagles extended their lead to 2-0 in the bottom half of the fifth inning with three straight 2-out singles before junior catcher Tyler Stack nabbed a runner swiping second to end the inning.
The Bobcats were threatening at the top of the sixth, as junior outfielder Taylor Harris smacked a 1-out double to center. The Bobcats loaded the bases with 2 walks to Shepherd and fifth-year infielder Will Henson. The Bobcats stranded the bases juiced after an inning-ending double play.
In the sixth, the Bobcats called on freshman southpaw Gaige Stuckey to keep the game within reach. After a leadoff walk, Stuckey retired the next two batters with a swinging punch out and a flyout to shallow left. With the bases juiced after a double and a walk with 2 outs, the Eagles walked in 2 runs to extend their lead to 4-0.
Ohio brought in their second lefty of the inning in senior Landon Price to help stop the bleeding. Morehead State ended up clearing the bases with a triple to right field, pushing the lead to 7-0.
The Bobcats cut into the lead at the top of the seventh. Beginning with a 1-out single from senior outfielder Cam Hill. With 2 outs, redshirt junior infielder Cam Bryant would draw a walk, leading to an RBI single from graduate student infielder Colton Shirley and adding another run with Harris reaching on a throwing error to cut the lead to 7-2.
The Eagles stormed right back with 3 runs of their own, opening the inning with 3 straight singles before a single and throwing error plated 2, and a 1-out groundout plated the final run as the Eagles won the game 10-2.
Ohio will travel to Oxford to face its rivals, Miami, in the Battle of the Bricks this Friday, April 10.
