AVON, Ohio — Ohio arrived at All Pro Freight Stadium for its Mid-American Conference Tournament opener half an hour before its opponent, but the extra preparation did not pay off.
The Bobcats stumbled to a 4-2 loss to Western Michigan in their first game of the double-elimination tournament by committing five errors and an equal hit total. The Broncos were unblemished defensively and doubled Ohio’s hit tally.
Neither the Bobcats nor Broncos were able to get anything started offensively through three innings, combining for only five hits.
Once the clock struck 10 a.m., though, both teams’ bats started making contact.
Senior right fielder Jensen Painter led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a bunt from freshman catcher Cody Gaertner. Painter made it to third on a groundout and scored on an Ian Mezlak single to center.
The Bobcats benefitted from a little extra padding in the top of the fifth.
On what should have been a conventional double play, Ohio first baseman Jake Madsen was forced to scoop a throw from second, resulting in the ball trickling to the padded backstop.
The ball bounced within only a couple feet of the coach’s box. Madsen recovered the ball, and with an on-point throw the Bobcats were out of the inning.
Ohio's lead only lasted an inning, though, as Western Michigan bounced back on a similar play in the sixth. With a runner in scoring position, Ryan McMillin grounded to junior shortstop Ben Otto for what should have been the Bobcats’ second out of the inning.
But when Madsen attempted to scoop his shortstop’s low throw, it careened into the stands and brought home Zach Thoma, who had reached base on a double.
Patrick Duncan scored McMillin with a blooper to center in the next at-bat.
Scoring picked up again in the seventh, when Thoma drove in a run on a single. He advanced to second because of an error by Ohio left fielder Tyler Wells.
Catcher Jared Kujawa closed the Broncos’ scoring with an RBI single in the eighth.
Madsen and Painter drove Western Michigan starter Casey Webber from the game in the eighth with back-to-back doubles, and Madsen later scored. Webber allowed only five hits and a pair of walks in 7-2/3 innings.
Ohio starting pitcher Brent Choban lasted 8-2/3 innings, in which he allowed three earned runs on 10 hits and two walks.
The Bobcats will face the loser of Wednesday’s Kent State vs. Buffalo game Thursday at 12:30 p.m., while Western Michigan will play that game’s victor.
jr992810@ohiou.edu
