Box Score
Niles, Ohio -- Ohio scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to break a 1-1 tie and spoil a solid start from Jon Snyder as it beat the Youngstown State baseball team 3-2 on Tuesday evening at Eastwood Field.
Snyder blanked the Bobcats over the first five innings, and he turned the game over to the bullpen after allowing a run in the top of the sixth that tied the score. Dalton Earich pitched a shutout seventh, but Ohio scored twice recording a hit in the eighth off Brandon Matthews to get its 14th win of the season.
The Penguins' five pitchers allowed just two hits, but they issued seven harmful walks. All three Ohio runners that came around to score reached on walks. Ohio also used five pitchers, and they did not allow any walks.
Lucas Nasonti and Dylan Swarmer both had two hits and scored for the Penguins, who outhit the Bobcats 5-2.
Snyder was brilliant over six innings but had to settle for a no-decision. The redshirt-freshman right-hander had the longest outing of his career and tied his career high with six strikeouts, all of which came on swings and misses. Snyder allowed just five baserunners on two hits, two walks and a wild pitch on a strikeout. He threw 84 pitches before handing the ball to Earich for the seventh.
Nasonti led off the bottom of the first with a double to the wall in right, and he moved up on Phillip Glasser's hard bouncer up the middle that Ohio starter Joe Rock got a glove on to slow down. Nasonti then scored from third on Blaze Glenn's RBI single to shortstop.
The first hit off Snyder didn't come until a two-out single by Ryan Strittmather in the third inning, and the only other hit the Bobcats had in the game was a two-out RBI double by Rudy Rott in the top of the sixth. Ryan Sargent drew a leadoff walk, just the second issued by Snyder, to start the sixth, and a sacrifice bunt moved him to second. Snyder got the next batter to fly out, but Rott hit a soft liner that fell in front of a diving Nasonti in center field that tied the score.
The Penguins were caught stealing in both the fourth and fifth innings, and Ohio's pitching staff retired 13 of the final 14 YSU hitters.
Matthews walked Sargent and Strittmather to start the eighth, and the right-hander hit Rott with one out to load the bases. Michael Richardson broke the tie with a sacrifice fly to center, and it was deep enough that Strittmather was able to advance to third. Strittmather then scored what ended up being the difference-making run on a wild pitch.
Swarmer hit a one-out triple and scored on an RBI ground out from Cameron Murray in the bottom of the eighth, but that was the only offense the Penguins could muster. Swarmer was the only Penguin to get a hit after the fourth inning.
Rock allowed one run on four hits over the first six innings in a no-decision for Ohio. Matt Brosky struck out two batters in a scoreless seventh inning, and he was awarded his first win of the season. Braxton Kelly struck out two batters and retired the Penguins in order in the ninth to record his first save.
Youngstown State will conclude its five-game homestand on Wednesday against St. Bonaventure. First pitch against the Bonnies at Eastwood Field is set for 4 p.m.
