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ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio baseball team (16-24, 13-9 MAC) returned to action Friday evening (May 5), falling the Ball State (29-15, 16-6 MAC), 5-3, inside Bob Wren Stadium.
Overall, Ohio scored three runs on five hits and did not commit an error, while Ball State scored five runs on nine hits and committed two errors.
Individually, fifth year
Mason Minzey (Grand Blanc, Mich.) went 3-for-4 with one home run, one RBI and two runs scored. Junior
Alec Patino (Sioux City, Iowa) went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored, while senior
Alex Finney (Oxford, Mich.) had one hit.
On the mound, sophomore
Dillon Masters (New Albany, Ohio) got the start, pitching seven innings, allowing three runs on six hits, while not walking a batter and striking out three. Fifth year
Braxton Kelly (Ulysses, Ky.) entered in the eighth inning, pitching two innings, allowing two runs on three hits.
Ball State got on the board first in the top of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead on a one-out solo homerun. After a scoreless second inning from both teams, Ball State got one more run in the top of the third on an RBI single, putting the cardinals up 2-0 entering the bottom of the third.
After the Bobcats sent the Cardinals down in order in the top of the fourth, the Bobcats struck in the bottom of the frame, capitalizing on several Ball State miscues. After Patino reached on a first-pitch leadoff double to rightfield, he then moved to second when Minzey reached on a single to the pitcher. Moments later, back-to-back errors from the Cardinals' infield allowed Patino and Minzey to score, tying the game at 2-2 going into the top of the fifth inning.
The Bobcats threatened in the bottom of the fifth inning, when with two outs, Patino drew a walk and then moved to third on a single from Minzey. However, Ohio was unable to capitalize, sending the game to the sixth inning tied at 2-2.
The Cardinals retook the lead in the top of the sixth inning, capitalizing on a leadoff triple, taking a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the frame. Ohio looked to respond in the bottom of the frame, putting runners on first and second with two outs, however, Ohio was unable to take advantage of the base runners, sending the game to the seventh trailing, 3-2.
Ohio tied the game up in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out solo home run to center from Minzey, sending the game to the eight tied at 3-3. However, Ball State retook the lead in the top of the eighth inning, scoring two runs on two hits to take a 5-3 lead.
The Bobcats were unable to generate much offense in the bottom of the eighth and ninth innings, falling 5-3.
Up next, the Bobcats and Ball State meet for game two of the series on Saturday, May 6. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Bob Wren Stadium.
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