Ohio hit the road to Farmville, Va., looking to put together its first multi-victory weekend of the season, as it faced Longwood in a four-game series.
However, the Bobcats’ only victory of the weekend came in its first game Sunday in a 9-1 triumph. Ohio (4-9) was unable to string more than one win together this past weekend.
Friday’s game was postponed because of bad weather, so Ohio and Longwood were forced to play two games each on Saturday and Sunday.
In Saturday’s opening game, Ohio freshman pitcher Jake Roehn threw for eight scoreless innings and allowed allowed just four hits. But in the bottom of the ninth inning, Longwood scored only run of the game on a sacrifice fly to walk off with a 1-0 victory. That was the first time Ohio has been shutout all season.
Just three hours after the first pitch of game one, Ohio and Longwood faced off again, in a game that was dominated by the Lancers from the beginning.
Longwood started off the game by scoring six times off seven hits in the first inning, and it never looked back again. Ohio got on the scoreboard, but was never able to get back in the game, as the Bobcats fell by a score of 7-1.
Sophomore pitcher Jake Miller received the loss, after pitching just one inning, where he allowed six runs on seven hits. Ohio used five other pitchers, which combined to allow one run on two hits during seven innings of work.
But the Bobcats’ offense was only able to muster three hits, which a season low.
In the first game Sunday, the Bobcats got off to a fresh start and were able to claim their first victory of the weekend with a 9-1 defeat of the Lancers.
Freshman pitcher Jake Rudnicki pitched a no-hitter through five innings and claimed his second win of the season. He finished after 7.1 innings, allowing just two hits and no runs.
Sophomore third baseman John Adryan and freshman outfielder Mitch Longo led Ohio’s offense with three-hit outings, along with a solo home run each.
Redshirt junior infielder Garret Black also hit his first home run since April 23, 2011 in just his second appearance of the season.
However, in the final game of the series, Ohio was unable to come out on top and fell 5-2 to Longwood.
The Lancers scored two runs in the first inning, but Ohio’s pitchers were able to hold Longwood to just three more runs for the remainder of the game.
In his third start of the season, sophomore pitcher Connor Sitz allowed five hits, two earned runs and struck out three batters during 6.1 innings of work, but was unable to secure the win for the Bobcats.
The Lancers’ offense out-hit the Bobcats 6-3, as their runs were tallied by junior outfielder Tyler Wells, junior infielder Tyler Finkler and Adryan.
The Bobcats open their home campaign on Wednesday, as they play host to Marshall, before hosting a four-game series with St. Bonaventure this weekend.
Ab109410@ohiou.edu
@Alex_Busch91
Fast Facts:
- Ohio was shut-out for the first time all year in game 1 Saturday
- Jake Rudnicki took a no-hitter to the fifth inning during game 1 Sunday
- Mitch Longo hit a team-leading second home run of the season in game 1 Sunday
