After the first weekend series in April, Ohio found itself off to its best start ever in conference play at a solid 7-2 at the top of Mid-American East Division.
How things have changed.
Bowling Green completed a sweep of the Bobcats with a 7-5 victory yesterday to continue the team's late-season swoon. Ohio has now lost seven in a row and is 2-11 since April 18.
The Bobcats, once considered a sure bet to compete in the MAC Tournament, now find themselves in fourth in the East Division with two weeks remaining.
It's really frustrating
centerfielder Matt Stiffler said. To give ourselves a shot at the MAC Tournament we needed to win most of the games in the MAC. Getting swept is not good for us.
Lefthander Matt Smith took the loss in game two of yesterday's doubleheader for Ohio (9-13 20-28 Mid-American Conference), and lasted five innings, allowing six runs, only three of which were earned.
Smith was handed a 4-1 lead when first baseman Robert Maddox III connected for a three-run home run, but fielding problems erased the margin in the fifth.
The Falcons led off the inning with a double, and on the next play Maddox let a ball come out of his glove as he covered first base.
Maddox, normally sure-handed at first, said that it was a fluke play that can happen with so many throws to first.
It's one of those things that never happen 99 out of 100 times he said. It was a routine play right in my chest and that's just what happens sometimes.
Following that point, Bowling Green tacked on three unearned runs in the inning to take a lead they would hold for the rest of the game as they could not muster a run for the rest of the game.
In game one of the doubleheader, Zach Elmer started and ran into early problems, with the first two Falcon hitters recording singles.
Bowling Green first baseman Brian Hangbers made the lefthander pay for the early hits as he crushed a home run to left field to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead, which they would not relinquish, winning 3-2.
Ohio loaded the bases in the second with no outs and in the fourth with one out, but only managed to score one run combined.
They just hit the ball better than we did
coach Joe Carbone said. Our pitchers gave us a chance to win
but we didn't do the job offensively.
Elmer pitched 6 and 1/3 innings and only allowed those three runs in the first inning. He also allowed six hits but had seven walks.
After a rainout Friday, the Falcons preyed on Ohio pitcher Chris Rigo Saturday, roughing up the junior for 12 runs in the seven innings that he pitched.
Unfortunately for the Bobcats, the damage did not stop there as the team added six more runs off reliever John Angelicchi for an 18-4 victory. In the game, Bowling Green totaled eight home runs.
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