Through one-third of Ohio’s midweek matchup with Dayton, it looked like the Bobcats were barreling toward a win to snap a skid of four losses in their last five games. Despite an early 6-2 lead, Ohio’s bullpen faltered again, leading to a 10-8 loss.
Freshman infielder Matt Ineich started things for the offense with a home run during the very first at-bat of the game. The Bobcats were quick to add 2 more runs to a 3-run first inning after freshman first baseman Drew Cox lined a double into the outfield for two more RBIs.
With a 3-0 lead headed into the second, Ohio wasn’t done contributing to an early offensive onslaught. Ineich was the culprit again, with an RBI double before coming around to score from a single by graduate student catcher Blake Reed.
Sophomore Trey Barkman was given the ball to start for the Bobcats and effectively set down the top of the Dayton lineup in the first inning. Pitching with a 5-0 lead in the second, Barkman was hurt by a lead-off walk that came around to score after a 2-run home run by Dayton’s Adin Zorn. Barkman was relieved later in the inning by senior Adam Beery.
The Bobcat offense remained steady in the third inning, responding to the Flyers' 2-run second with a score in the top of the third. Freshman outfielder Brady Alexander tallied the RBI for the Bobcats.
Things began to fall apart for Ohio in the bottom half of the fourth when Dayton scored 4 consecutive runs to tie the game. Beery allowed five of the first six batters to reach base before being relieved by senior Tyler Peck. Peck allowed a bases-clearing double to the first batter he faced, scoring 2 runs, both credited to Beery.
A quiet fifth inning was followed by a game-deciding sixth, which saw multiple scores from each team.
To start the sixth, Ohio tallied 2 runs thanks to some lazy defense from Dayton. After putting runners on base to start the inning, the Bobcats found a way to get runners home via a passed ball and a fielder's choice. With 2 runs in the sixth, Ohio took an 8-6 lead into the bottom of the inning.
Though Ohio’s offense found a way to score, Dayton's offense responded with an even better showing. Graduate student Jacob Tate allowed five of the first seven batters in the innings to reach base, three of whom scored before Tate was taken out of the game.
Facing a 9-8 deficit going into the seventh, the Ohio offense went down quietly in the game's final three innings en route to a loss. Dayton added a run in the seventh against freshman pitcher Jimmy Cerha.
Tate was credited with the loss after an abhorrent sixth inning that led to yet another blown lead from Ohio. The Bobcats are back on the road this weekend, seeking their first MAC series win when they take on Kent State.
