Oct. 26, 2008

ATHENS, Ohio -

Box Score

The Ohio baseball team wrapped up their fall season with the finale of the annual Green and White Series Sunday at Bob Wren Stadium, as the White team earned the 2-0 series sweep, taking game two 9-8 in come-from-behind fashion. Junior third baseman Marc Krauss (Deshler, Ohio) drove in senior left fielder Hayden Johnston (Strattanville, Pa.) in the bottom of the ninth for the game-winning, walk-off run. White won game one of the series Saturday, 12-2.

"The White team dominated yesterday and came out today and hung around long enough to tie the game up in the eighth," Ohio head coach Joe Carbone said. "They got two big hits in the ninth to win, so they deserved to win the series. I thought the White team came out and played very well both days."

The intra-squad scrimmage saw both teams battle back and forth as the game had five lead changes and four ties. Both squads put two runs on the board in the second inning, but Green took a 3-2 lead in the top of the third when senior catcher Chris Klimko (McKeesport, Pa.) hit into an RBI groundout that scored sophomore second baseman Zach Keen (Beavercreek, Ohio), for the first of his two runs on the day.

Sophomore first baseman Robert Maddox III (Euclid, Ohio) belted his second home run of the series in the bottom half of the inning, scoring Krauss and putting White on top 4-3. Junior first baseman Jerod Yakubik (Byesville, Ohio) crossed the plate in the top half of the fourth inning when sophomore Matt Razzante (Highland Heights, Ohio) grounded out to third base, knotting the game at four all.

After a scoreless fifth inning, the Green team put up three runs in the sixth to take a 7-4 lead. Razzante hit an RBI single that brought home Yakubik, his third run of the day, while freshman shortstop Bobby Martin (Crystal Lake, Ill.) and Razzante also scampered home later in the inning. Freshman J.R. Reynolds (Cincinnati, Ohio) made the score 7-6 in the bottom of the sixth inning on his two-run single through the left side of the infield.

In the top of the eighth inning, senior third baseman Brandon Besl (Cincinnati, Ohio) doubled to center field, scoring Keen and putting Green on top by two. White tied the game again with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth, setting the stage for Krauss' walk-off single up the middle in the bottom of the ninth inning that gave White the 9-8 win.

Junior Bryce Butt (Omaha, Neb.) earned the win for the White team, pitching four innings of four-hit baseball, allowing just one run, while striking out one, after pitching two innings of no-hit baseball yesterday. Senior Adam Goodpasture (Columbus, Ohio) suffered the loss, while pitching two-plus innings of work.

The Green team outhit White 12-11, despite the loss. Reynolds paced the White team with two hits and three RBIs, while sophomore Trace Voshell (Batavia, Ohio) had three hits and scored three runs. Krauss also chipped in for the White squad with two hits, including the game-winner, a run and an RBI. The Green team was led by Yakubik's three hits, two of which were doubles, three runs and an RBI, while Razzante finished with two hits, a run and three RBIs. Also hitting well for Green was Besl, who had two doubles and an RBI, and Klimko, who hit a triple, scored a run and batted one in as well.

Senior pitchers Matt Schlarb (Lexington, Ohio) and Joe Stover (Shorewood, Ill.) each pitched three innings, allowing two earned runs, while striking out four batters for the White squad, while senior Zach Elmer (Delaware, Ohio) pitched three innings for Green and also struck out four batters.

The Bobcats begin their regular season Feb. 20 at Davidson.