The wheels fell off the wagon for the Bobcats (7-5, 1-2 Mid-American Conference) in Sunday’s doubleheader against the Bowling Green (4-9, 2-1 MAC). After starting the series off strong with a 2-1 win on Saturday, the Bobcats were riding high going into their games that afternoon. With two seven-inning games on the slate, anything was possible.
Unfornately for the Bobcats, Ohio was unable to build on Saturday’s success, dropping both games by scores of 6-2 and 5-2.
Ohio’s downfall came quickly in the first game of the day. The Falcons had already put runs on the board in the top of the first in Sells’ start, but Ohio recovered quickly with a run of its own in the bottom of the second. The Bobcats would keep the score tied until Bowling Green’s big inning in the top of the fifth.
The Falcons began the inning with back-to-back hits. The runners soon advanced on a wild pitch from Sells, bumping the score up to 2-1. Immediately after, Jack Krause hit an RBI single to right for the Falcons.
Sells’ night ended in the top of the fifth with the score sitting at 3-1, but the song was still the same for his relief man, Alex Kuster. As soon as Kuster entered the game, Kyle Gurney hit a two-run homerun to extend Bowling Green’s lead.
The Bobcats entered the bottom of the sixth with down 5-1 when Sebastian Fabik stepped up to the plate. He knocked an RBI double to right-center to help the Bobcats begin their climb out of the deficit, but it would be the last run scored by the Bobcats in game one.
Bowling Green brought the bats out again in the top of the seventh. Gurney hit his second homerun of the game in the form of a solo shot to left center. Ohio was unable to produce in the bottom of the inning, eventually taking the loss 6-2.
Logan Jones got off to a good start on the bump for the Bobcats in game two, but things would soon change. Bowling Green put the pressure on him and the defense in the top of the fourth. The inning began with a double to put a runner on base for the Falcons. Trevor Lukkes’ diving catch in left kept the runner in place momentarily, but he would soon score on an RBI single from Kyle Gurney.
The Bobcats were down 1-0, but the Falcons were not done yet. Adam Fallon would hit a line-drive down the third base line for an RBI double, extending the lead to 3-0 in the same inning. Two more runs would score on a miscue at the plate and a passed ball, bringing the score to 4-0 in the fourth
Bowling Green held the game in the palm of its hands. The Falcons were not only producing runs, but they were producing majority of the inning in Bob Wren by themselves. The team truly lived up to their mascot by swooping in and taking the lead in dominant fashion both games.
In a last-ditch effort in the bottom of the seventh, Trevor Lukkes hit a two-run homerun off of the foul pole in left field. His hit helped the Bobcats avoid being shut out, but it did not create the needed momentum to win the game. The Bobcats fell 5-2 and suffered its second loss of the day and in conference play.
Ohio played clean defensively with only one error the whole day and it hit well. The Bobcats out hit the Falcons 7-6 in game two, but their inability to get runs across the plate was costly for them. Bowling Green was consistently finding ways to capitalize on it’s runners and it showed in the final score of both games.
The series is not over for interim head coach Craig Moore and his team. The Bobcats will have their chance at splitting the series Monday at 1 p.m. in Bob Wren Stadium. Live stats for the game can be found here.
