For the first time since the Toledo series more than a month ago, Ohio dropped a series against a conference opponent. But the Bobcats still have a chance to catch Kent State for the best record in conference.
Ohio (23-20, 12-6 Mid-American Conference) split a Sunday doubleheader with Bowling Green (18-25, 7-11 MAC) but lost the series two games to one.
The Falcons outlasted the Bobcats 4-3 in the first game of the series Friday.
Senior center fielder Ethan Newton finished with three hits and tied the career stolen bases mark of 42, which he will likely break in this week’s schedule of games.
Senior right fielder Jensen Painter brought the offense to life in the seventh inning with Ohio down 4-0. His RBI single jump-started the offense and led to three runs on four hits.
Falcon relief pitchers kept the score 4-3 as the Bobcats could not muster any more runs.
But scoring runs was not nearly as difficult second game for the Bobcats.
Ohio scored runs in the first and third on RBIs by Dan Schmidt. Two more runs came on designated hitter Scott White’s two-run home run that scored Cody Gaertner.
An offensive avalanche then occurred in the ninth inning. The Bobcat offense produced seven runs on six hits en route to an 11-0 victory in the first game of the Sunday doubleheader.
Jason Moulton allowed eight hits in his complete-game shutout. Ohio coach Carbone said that Moulton had all of his pitches working and that is what made his outing so successful.
“After we lost a tough one on Friday, he came out and dominated,” Carbone said. “He was something we needed to get a win in that first game (on Sunday). It gave us a chance to win the series.”
Ohio fell behind early in the second game of the twin bill. The Falcons rattled off four runs on four hits in the fifth to make the lead 5-1.
In the seventh inning, Ohio completed the comeback and took the lead when left fielder Tyler Wells’ launched a three-run home run.
Ohio’s corps of relief struggled to hold the lead as Bowling Green pushed across two more runs to regain the lead.
The Bobcats scraped together one more run to tie the game going into the ninth.
Carbone elected to intentionally load the bases after two Falcon hitters reached base. Relief pitcher Tyler Stage uncorked a wild pitch to give the Falcons the win in walk-off fashion.
The wild pitch was a result of mixed signs between Stage and his catcher Gaertner.
“We got crossed up on our signs on the ball that went to the backstop,” Carbone said. “Tyler thought he saw something, Cody got crossed up—it was unfortunate.”
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