Ohio broke it's four-game losing streak Friday when it secured a 6-5 walk-off victory against Toledo in the 10th inning. Edward Kutt IV got the start for Ohio as he took on Toledo's stellar Kyle Jones.
The game got off to a quick start as Toledo got to Kutt in the first inning. Toledo hit two singles with two outs to put a runner in scoring position for Mason Sykes. Sykes took advantage of the situation and hit a single of his own to put Toledo on the board. After a walk to load the bases, Marcus Strother hit another single to bring in two more runs for Toledo to make the score 3-0.
The Bobcats responded quickly, though. In the bottom of the first, Mason Minzey doubled to send home Colin Kasperbauer from first base. From there, Kutt settled down as he went an eventual seven innings, allowing just the three runs and striking out nine.
"For him to settle down and get zeros, it's great to see," Ohio coach Craig Moore said. "He stayed with it, he didn't want to come out of the game."
After five scoreless innings, Ohio's offense came to life. After a fielder's choice and hit-by-pitch put two runners on, Nick Dolan hit them both home with a bases-clearing double. But, that is not where the offensive production stopped. Isaiah Peterson singled in the next at bat to bring in Dolan. After Peterson later stole second and advanced to third on a single by AJ Rausch, a wild pitch brought him home to extend Ohio's lead to 5-3.
After a scoreless eighth inning from both teams, Ohio thought it had a victory. However, Toledo had other plans. With Toledo down to its final out, Sykes hit a home run to center field to tie the game in the ninth.
Braxton Kelly came in for Ohio to pitch in the top of the 10th inning. After loading the bases with two outs, Kelly got a crucial strikeout to keep Toledo off the board.
All it took was one at-bat in the 10th for Ohio to pick up the win. Mason Minzey crushed a home run to left-center field to earn the win for Ohio.
"When I rounded first I saw Coach Moore, he was more hype than anyone else on the field," Minzey said. "It was really cool seeing his reaction. Then when I looked at home, I just saw all my guys ... and it was an awesome feeling."
