Ohio loses to conference foe in a 15-inning ballgame that lasted over four hours.
Not often do a starter and a reliever both pitch more than six innings, but this wasn’t a normal for the Bobcats.
Despite solid pitching performances from both starter Jake Rudnicki and reliever Tom Colletti, Ohio fell in a marathon ballgame to Toledo, 6-4.
The game was Ohio’s longest ballgame of the year and their longest since a 14-inning loss to Presbyterian in March 2012.
Ohio got on the board in the first inning, as Garrett Black doubled down the left field line and scored Manny DeJesus.
They pushed the lead to 2-0 in the third courtesy of an RBI double from Mitch Longo.
Jake Rudnicki had a solid outing, but ran into trouble in the 7tth inning. After scoring once in the 7th inning, Toledo took the lead in the 8th as Dalton Bollinger’s RBI single gave the Rockets a 3-2 lead.
Rudnicki pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowed five hits, one run (unearned), three walks, and striking out four.
Jake Madsen didn’t let Ohio trail for long, as in the bottom of the 8th, he blasted a home run over the right field, tying the game, 2-2.
That’s where relief pitcher Tom Colletti took over.
Starting in the 8th inning, he pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing nine hits, no walks, and striking out five.
Colletti ran into trouble in the 15th inning, as he allowed the Rockets to load the bases. Friday’s starter Jake Miller came into the game in relief, where he hit Nate Langhals with a pitch, allowing Toledo to take a 4-3 lead.
Spencer Sapp then came in the game to relieve Miller and allowed two Toledo runs to score.
Despite a home run from Ty Wells in the bottom of the inning, the Bobcats couldn’t muster the rest of the comeback, falling to Toledo, 6-4.
Ohio looks to bounce back as they play Dayton for their last regular season game at Bob Wren Stadium.
