A single, devastating inning dropped the Bobcats into a crater they couldn’t climb out of.
Ohio allowed 10 runs in the third and went on to lose 12-6 to Alabama State on Tuesday at Lake Point Complex in Emerson, Georgia.
After Ohio starter Nick Kamrada pitched two scoreless innings, junior Logan Jacik came in to start the third. Jacik erased a leadoff single with a double play, but that’s when the Hornets strung together an improbable rally.
A pair of walks was followed by three-straight singles and another walk. Jacik left the game with Ohio down 3-0 and the bases loaded. In came senior Christian Botter, who gave up a walk, back-to-back singles and another walk.
Botter was then pulled with a 7-0 deficit and the bases loaded in favor of senior Matt Mikolajczak, who allowed a bases-clearing double before ending the inning with a groundout.
10 runs on seven hits with no errors. All damage done with two outs.
The Bobcats (5-4) outscored Alabama State (3-6) the rest of the way, although all six of their runs were scored in the final two innings.
Sophomore first baseman Rudy Rott led the way, going 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs. Designated hitter Michael Klein was 1-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to five games.
Jacik (0-2) allowed six earned runs on four hits and three walks in 2/3 of an inning to take the loss on the mound. Mikolajczak allowed no runs in 1 1/3 innings, which bumps his scoreless streak to four appearances so far this season.
Ohio capped its five-game set in Georgia and will open a weekend series at Western Kentucky starting Friday. The Bobcats’ home opener is a doubleheader, scheduled March for 18 against Siena.
