Spencer Ibarra dug into the batter's box with two outs in the top of the ninth and the game tied. With the go-ahead runner on second, it was Ibarra's turn yet again to give Ohio the boost it needed.
The senior had already collected four hits in five at-bats; the rest of the Bobcats had only combined for two hits and were still trying to solve the pitching staff of No. 4 seed Ball State.
The Ball State pitching staff, however, never solved Ibarra.
The senior slapped a ball into left field for his fifth hit of the game, sending the speedy Jack Longo home. The hit gave No. 5 seed Ohio the lead and an eventual 4-3 victory in its first game of the double-elimination Mid-American Conference Tournament at Sprenger Stadium in Avon.
Without Ibarra's efforts, Ohio would likely be one loss away from its season coming to a close, as the right-fielder went 5-for-6 with five singles, one run, two RBIs and zero strikeouts.
The rest of the Bobcats mustered just two hits and nine strikeouts and, despite being walked 10 times, struggled to find a way to score, leaving 16 runners on base.
In addition to Ibarra's efforts at the plate, right-handed starter Gerry Salisbury kept the game close for Ohio as the redshirt junior threw 6 1/3 innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out eight.
What's next
Ohio's offense will have to step up in its next game, a rendezvous with top seed Kent State (36-16) on Thursday at 8 p.m. at Sprenger Stadium. The two sides met for a three-game series last week in which the Bobcats won the first two games due to solid offense — they scored a combined 15 runs — but fell short of the sweep in game three, a 5-2 defeat.
If Ohio can match its offensive level from the pair of victories against Kent State, the Bobcats will have a good chance of escaping the first two games of the tournament with two losses still to spare — and all the confidence needed for a clear path to the championship.
A loss will put Ohio in a frenzy in which it would need to win out in order to win the championship, as it would play the winner of No. 8-seeded Toledo and No. 4-seeded Ball State.
