Ohio opened its season on a positive note and grabbed three wins in its four-game series this weekend against North Alabama. Ohio won its first game on Friday, split a double header on Saturday and finished off the series with a win on Sunday.
Here’s what happened in each game:
Friday
Redshirt sophomore Spencer Harbert was the first baseman in the Bobcats’ first game of the season, replacing Rudy Rott, who was drafted to the Philadelphia Phillies last season. Harbert showed some of the power that Rott brought with his first-career home run in the 5-1 win.
Eamon Horwedel made the sixth start of his career and allowed only one run in 4 2/3 innings. Nick Byrnes, Eddie Kutt and Brett Manis combined to pitch the final 4 1/3 innings and struck out 10 total batters.
Saturday (Game 1)
Ohio started fast in the first game of the day, which featured two seven-inning games. The Bobcats brought in four runs in the first two innings. Aaron Levy, who started at first base, scored the first two runs.
The four-run lead was enough for starter Jack Liberatore, who gave up one earned run in five innings and received the win in a 6-4 victory.
Ohio had a 5-1 lead in the sixth inning and thwarted a comeback from North Alabama, who scored three runs off Danny Brackman. Byrnes stopped the damage and shut out the Lions in the final two innings to secure the Bobcats’ win.
Saturday (Game 2)
Ohio suffered its first loss of the season in the second game of the day behind a poor pitching performance by Collin Sells and two errors. Sells, who was making his first career start, gave up six runs and five hits in 3 2/3 innings. Two of those runs were unearned and brought in by errors.
The Bobcats also struggled offensively in the 6-3 loss and recorded just one hit after the second inning.
Sunday
The offense came alive in the fifth inning for Ohio as they won the series on Sunday. The Bobcats scored four runs on four hits and took advantage of two errors in the inning to take a commanding three-run lead in the 6-4 win.
Ohio played a clean game with no errors and received a strong five innings from middle reliever Braxton Kelly to win its first series of the season.
What’s next
The Bobcats (3-1) will stay on the road next weekend to play Saint Louis in Lexington, South Carolina, for a three-game series.
