Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Cleveland State
Cleveland State Bests Baseball, 7-2
3/15/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 15, 2011
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - Cleveland State used a five-run fourth inning to snap a scoreless tie and held on to defeat the Marshall University baseball team, 7-2 on Tuesday afternoon at V.A. Memorial Stadium.
Marshall dropped to 6-10 overall, while the Vikings improved to 3-10 on the season.
Herd starter Hunter May (1-1) kept CSU off the scoreboard through the first three frames before laboring in the fourth. The Vikings batted around in the inning, lacing five hits, while the MU defense committed two errors to break the game open.
Nathan Gomez led off the seventh with a blast to leftfield, his first jack of the season, but CSU hurler Nate Dick (1-0) retired the next three batters in order. Dick pitched into the eighth before allowing back-to-back singles to start the inning. He scattered six hits, walked one and struck out two.
After Dick was lifted, giving up singles to Victor Ramos and Isaac Ballou, Nate Blakenmeyer entered for the Vikings. The three-hole hitter Victor Gomez smashed what looked to be a sure base hit through the left side, but the ball ricocheted off the third baseman right to the shortstop to turn an easy 6-5-4-3 rally-killing double play.
The Herd would not go quietly in the ninth, making the game interesting as Thor Meeks was plunked, followed by N.Gomez drawing a walk to begin the stanza. CSU called on sidearmer Clayton Ruch, who gave up a RBI single to Rhett Stafford before recording the last three outs to secure the win for the Vikings.
Ramos ended the afternoon with a 2-for-5 day at the dish, including a double, while Meeks chipped in with a double of his own.
Reliever Josh King produced another stellar outing out of the bullpen, firing two scoreless innings, surrendering just one hit and striking out three.
NEXT UP: Marshall will host St. Bonaventure for a three-game series at Epling Stadium in Beckley, W.Va., starting Friday at 3 p.m.
