A week ago, the Bobcats appeared unstoppable as they conquered some of the Mid-American Conference's best teams and looked to extend the season even further by making noise in the NCAA Championship Tournament.
But the Bobcats, who went 4-0 in the preceding MAC Championship tournament en route to capturing the title, finally met their match and saw their chance of leaving a mark on the national scale come to an abrupt end on Saturday as Ohio fell to Indiana 11-2 at Cliff Hagan Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.
The loss marks the end of the 2017 season for the MAC champions — it was Ohio's second and final defeat of the double-elimination NCAA Regionals.
A day after suffering a slim 6-4 loss to Kentucky, the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Regional bracket and 11th-ranked team in the country, Ohio (31-28) failed to solve Indiana (34-23-2) despite several chances to sway the game's momentum in their direction.
Ohio originally looked primed for the upset after a no-out bases-loaded walk and sacrifice fly put the Bobcats in front with an early 2-0 lead to open the bottom half of the first inning, but couldn't capitalize any further. The Bobcats were able to load the bases again that inning with just one out, but a double-play from catcher Anthony Mrosla closed the opportunity.
Starting left-hander Gerry Salisbury was tasked with containing a power-heavy Indiana offense, which was tied for 29th in the country with 67 home runs.
The redshirt junior held the Hoosiers lineup to just two hits and one run, a solo home run, after three innings, but unraveled in the fourth as Indiana broke out for three runs on four hits with another solo home run to gain a 4-2 lead, forcing coach Rob Smith to rely on his bullpen to keep the Bobcats in the game.
While Indiana's offense would continue to soften its lead and tally at least one run in four of the next five innings, Ohio's offense would be blanked by Indiana starter and freshman right-hander Jonathan Stiever, who pitched a complete game and allowed just five hits following the first inning.
But Stiever wasn't the only Hoosier whom the Bobcats struggled to solve.
Right fielder Logan Sowers knocked three home runs off the Ohio pitching staff to tally five RBIs and eliminate the struggling Bobcats. The junior had three of Indiana's four total home runs on Saturday.
Ohio ended its season in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in the previous three years following a MAC title victory.
