With Ohio entering Thursday’s game against Ohio State in Columbus following back-to-back losses, and the Buckeyes coming off being swept in Indiana last weekend, both teams knew securing momentum early on was going to be crucial in getting back on their respective tracks.
Ohio State was the one who answered that call, putting up five runs in the bottom of the first inning and setting the tone for what would become an 11-6 Buckeye win over the Bobcats. Jake Miller received the loss for Ohio.
“In games like that, you really don’t want to let Ohio State get off to a good start, or they’ll make it a challenge for you to work your way through that game,” coach Rob Smith said. “We obviously needed to do a better job of containing that first inning. We didn’t do that, and it kind of set the tone for the rest of the game.”
Miller was the Bobcats’ starter during the evening, but would pitch just the first inning. Ohio State began the game with back-to-back singles, followed by an error on Ohio shortstop Garrett Black. The Buckeyes would go on to smack two doubles later in the inning, and score a total of five runs, three of which were earned, on Miller.
Ohio went on to use a total of nine pitchers in the game, which was a part of its original game plan, according to Smith. Black got the Bobcats on the scoreboard in the fourth inning, when his bases loaded two-run single provided some life and brought the deficit down to 6-2.
Ohio State answered quickly however, scoring one run in the fifth inning and then putting the game out of reach with three runs in the sixth. Buckeyes first baseman Zach Ratcliff was the one providing the sixth-inning blow, cranking a three-run homer to left field against Bobcats reliever Nick Nauracy.
Ohio got some offensive life late in the contest, when RBI singles by center fielder Mitch Longo and first baseman Jake Madsen helped put together a three-run rally for the Bobcats, something which proved to be much too little, too late.
“Overall, we didn’t play bad baseball tonight,” Smith said. “Instead of having the untimely walk, or hit by pitch, or wild pitch that’s given us trouble in the past, we actually played a relatively clean game. (Ohio State) just had 19 hits tonight, and that many hits are gonna get you a lot of runs. But, if we continue to play cleaner baseball the way we did tonight, we’ve got a chance to beat a lot of teams.”
Black led the offensive charge for Ohio tonight, going 1-for-3 with three RBI’s and two walks. Catcher Nick Bredeson went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Madsen went 2-for-5 with an RBI.
Ohio returns to action this Friday with a three-game series against Kent State.
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