Ohio (3-7) and Marshall (5-6) entered a mid-week matchup Tuesday after successful weekends. While the bats started hot for Ohio, Marshall drew the game to 12 innings, ultimately winning with a walk-off grand slam of 11-7.
Sophomore infielder JR Nelson was walked to start action, but Ohio took advantage of the quick base runner and went down in order behind him.
Ohio started the day on the mound with sophomore pitcher Jack Geiser, who made his fourth appearance of the year and second start. Geiser made quick work of Marshall in the bottom of the first with a one-two-three inning to get Ohio back swinging the bats.
The Bobcats threatened Marshall in the top of the second with runners on first and second and two outs but were not able to score after a strikeout to end the inning. The Thundering Herd, however, capitalized on solid two-out hitting, with an RBI double and RBI single in consecutive at-bats to give the Herd a 2-0 lead after two.
The third inning began with a pitching change from Marshall. Nelson took advantage and took another free pass, followed by sophomore infielder Trae Cassidy, who was hit by a pitch. The new pitcher was wild, and after two wild pitches, Nelson came around to score, cutting the lead in half. After another walk to sophomore outfielder Ben Slanker, senior infielder Nick Dolan hit an RBI single through the right side of the infield to score Cassidy.
The inning rolled on for the Bobcats as senior catcher Jackson Cauthron laced an RBI single into the right-center gap to score Slanker and give them the lead. The Thundering Herd stopped the bleeding after sophomore outfielder Caleb Karll grounded into a double play that scored Dolan and gave the Bobcats a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom of the third.
After grabbing the lead, Ohio went to senior pitcher Jacob Tate on the mound, his fourth appearance of the year and first in relief. Tate escaped some trouble and closed the inning scoreless.
The fourth inning brought another pitching change as freshman Luke Bryant took the bump. Bryant walked the first batter of the inning, but Cauthron picked him up by catching the Marshall runner stealing. After striking out a hitter, Bryant walked the next three hitters to load the bases but pushed through and struck out the next hitter to end the frame.
Ohio threatened again in the top of the fifth after two walks. Senior outfielder Trenton Neuer took first and then stole both second and third base. Cauthron walked to follow to put two on and set up a 2-run double for Karll to extend Ohio’s lead to 6-2. Ohio made another change on the hill with freshman Hunter Winston starting the fifth.
Winston’s appearance started a bit rocky as he loaded the bases. He gave up a run on a sac fly to cut into the lead and force another pitching change for the Bobcats. Winston was replaced by sophomore Trey Barkman, who cleaned it up to end the fifth with the Bobcats up 6-3.
The next two innings were very mild compared to the first five. Barkman pitched well and was removed after two innings of work. Senior Adam Beery took over and finished the seventh frame strongly.
Ohio needed another spark in the run column after an unsuccessful fifth inning. Graduate catcher Blake Reed, playing designated hitter, led off the top of the eighth with a double. Junior Cale Steinbaugh, who pinch-ran for Reed, moved to third on a groundout before being scored by Nelson on a sac-bunt to retake a four-run lead at 7-3.
The Bobcats looked to defend their lead, but the Herd got to Beery for three runs in the bottom of the eighth. He gave up a 2-RBI triple and an RBI single to follow that brought the Herd within one, down only 7-6. The Bobcats gave the ball to sophomore Ethan Stewart to collect the last out and now had three outs left to secure a victory.
Ohio, scoreless in the top of the ninth, turned to senior Tyler Peck. Peck’s outing went wrong in a hurry, as he allowed a game-tying home run to the first batter of the inning. Peck picked up the pace the rest of the inning, retiring the next three batters and sending this game to extra innings.
Extra innings brought quiet bats from both teams through the first two innings with minimal baserunners allowed on either side. Ohio had two on in the 11th but was unsuccessful. Ohio had clean work from lefty freshman Julian Robertson over both frames. The 12th saw Ohio threaten again, but have no luck and walk away scoreless with multiple baserunners.
Marshall was aggressive at the bottom of the inning with a leadoff base hit and a sacrifice bunt to get a runner in scoring position. Ohio intentionally walked the next hitter to create a force-out situation, but that was for nothing, as Robertson made a fielding error to load the bases. The next hitter took advantage and sent the pitch over the left field wall for a walk-off grand slam, winning Marshall the game.
