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March 8, 2003

MCNEESE STATE SCORES LATE TO BEAT OHIO STATE

Cowboys score three times in the eighth inning to drop Buckeyes to 2-3 on the year.

LAFAYETTE, La. — McNeese State scored three times in the bottom of the eighth inning to claim a seesaw battle with No. 30 Ohio State by a final score of 5-3 Saturday at the Mardi Gras Ball Baseball Classic at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.

The Buckeyes (2-3) took a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth when Steve Caravati scored on a passed ball after singling to lead off the inning. He stole second and had advanced to third on a wild pitch.

But as quickly as Ohio State claimed the lead, the Cowboys (13-6) tied the game and added another two runs to take a 5-3 lead and put the pressure on the Buckeyes to even the score in its final at bat. Chris Fontenot's pinch-hit home run off reliever Mike Madsen tied the game. Tim Lemke scored on a single up the middle by Derek Bordelon to give McNeese State a 4-3 lead. Bordelon scored on a double by Boyles for the fifth Cowboy run of the game. Ohio State failed to plate a run despite a two-out infield single by Derek Kinnear. The game ended on a fly out by Drew Anderson.

Boyles finished the game 3-for-3 for McNeese State and was responsible for batting in two runs. Bordelon and Dooley Prince each had a pair of hits for the Cowboys, which finished the game with 10 hits. Kinnear was the offensive star for the Buckeyes. His three hits in four at bats led the Buckeye attack as he was the only OSU player with multiple hits.

Madsen was saddled with the loss for Ohio State. He allowed three runs in 0.2 innings with one strikeout and a walk. He came on in the eighth inning in relief of starter Josh Newman, who pitched 7.0 innings allowing just two runs (one earned) on six hits. Rhett Gulledge got the win for McNeese State, pitching the final 2.1 innings allowing one run on a pair of hits.

Paul Farinacci gave the Buckeyes an early 1-0 lead with the team's first home run of the season. The shot, which led off the fourth inning, landed over the fence in left-centerfield traveled an estimated 385 feet.

McNeese State manufactured a run to even the score 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Third baseman Josh Fontenot led off the inning with a single up the middle and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Bordelon. Boyles dropped a shot to shallow left field to score Fontenot.

Everything was even between the two teams through the first five innings. Each team had four hits, one error and had each stranded four runners on base. Christian Snavely got a hit in the sixth inning and stole second, but he was stranded there as the inning ended on a double play.

The Cowboys took advantage of Buckeye miscues with two outs in their half of the sixth to take a 2-1 lead. Lemke walked and then moved to second on a wild pitch. He scored as a sharply hit ball by shortstop Lance Dawkins danced under the glove of Snavely at third base and into leftfield. Snavely was charged with an error on the play.

Ohio State was able to tie up the score in the top of the seventh. With two outs, Kinnear scored from first on a throwing error by Dawkins to second. The ball trickled into rightfield and allowed Kinnear to even the game 2-2. Anderson reached third on a fielder's choice.

McNeese State, which also had upset No. 24 Wichita State on Friday, threatened in the bottom of the inning, but Ohio State caught Boyles trying to score on a ground ball to third base.

Ohio State concludes the Mardi Gras Ball Baseball Classic Sunday with a 1 p.m. start against No. 24 Wichita State.

-- Mardi Gras Ball Baseball Classic --

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

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