Ohio lost three of its four games against Wofford during the weekend.
The beginning of the 2016 season hasn't been quite as kind to Ohio as it was in 2015, as the Bobcats entered the weekend losers of four of their last five.
That poor luck continued this weekend when the Bobcats lost three of four on the road at Wofford. Ohio's record is now 4-7 this season.
Ohio dug itself a deep hole to start the weekend, with Wofford scoring single runs in each of the first three innings on Friday off Jake Miller before tacking on two more against Michael Klein to gain a 5-0 lead through five innings.
Ohio got a rally started late, with first baseman Rudy Rott notching his second home run of the season in the ninth inning to bring the Bobcats within three. A sacrifice fly for Manny DeJesus in the eighth would wrap up the scoring for good and Ohio dropped game one of the series, 5-3.
In the front end of a doubleheader Saturday, it was the Bobcats who drew first blood, but the lead didn’t last.
Junior second baseman Ty Black doubled to score DeJesus, but when pitcher Gerry Salisbury took the mound in the bottom of the first, his control failed him. The left-hander walked four and surrendered one hit while retiring just two batters, picking up the 6-3 loss.
It seemed Ohio was saving all of its offense for the night game. It compiled 23 hits to power a 16-2 victory and avoid a potential sweep.
DeJesus drove in five runs in the game, while Rott drove in three and shortstop Tyler Finkler collected five hits.
Senior Connor Sitz allowed two runs on just one hit in four and 2/3 innings pitched, but it was relief pitcher Jake Roehn getting the win thanks to two and 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
The final game was a rollercoaster, as Ohio attempted to even the series. Wofford jumped ahead in the second inning with four runs off Bobcats starter Jake Rudnicki, giving them a 4-1 advantage. Rudnicki was able to settle in to throw three scoreless frames after that allowing Ohio to set the table for a three-run sixth and jump ahead 5-4.
Senior Eddie Fitzpatrick was solid for four innings after Rudnicki's removal, but blinked in the bottom of the ninth, walking the leadoff batter and eventually allowing him to score the tying run. Wofford went on to score the winning run in the 11th inning off Tom Colletti to secure three wins against Ohio.
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DeJesus was potent throughout the weekend for Ohio, going 9-for-18 at the plate with 10 RBI’s in four games in the leadoff spot. Rott went 6-for-17 with five RBI’s and outfielder Mitch Longo kicked a rough start to the weekend by going 6-for-11 with three doubles in the final two games.
Ohio begins its first home series of the year on Friday against Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne.
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