Athens, Ohio -- Jeremy Banks hit two of Youngstown State's three solo home runs and added an RBI double, but the Penguins' bullpen couldn't hold two one-run leads in a 5-4 loss to Ohio in 13 innings on Wednesday at Bob Wren Stadium.
Banks homered in the first and broke a 2-2 tie with a two-out blast in the eighth. The Bobcats tied the score in the bottom of the eighth, and they did the same in thing in the 10th after Banks' RBI double gave the Guins a 4-3 lead.
OU's Wes O'Neill walked to start the 13th, and a sacrifice bunt and error put runners at the corners with one out. Bryan Barnes brought in O'Neill for the winning run with a sacrifice fly to left.
Banks did not have a home run through the season's first 41 games, and YSU had only two as a team. Both of those belonged to David Leon, who hit a solo homer in the third.
YSU starter Blake Aquadro provided the Penguins with their first quality midweek start of the season. The sophomore lefty allowed two runs on six hits and a walk in six innings of work. Nic Manuppelli worked a scoreless seventh and was in line for the win before Ohio tied the score in the eighth.
Banks hit a two-out homer to center in the top of the first to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead, and Adam Gecewich tripled and scored in the second for Ohio to tie the score at 1-1.
Leon's homer to right in the third put YSU up 2-1, and the Penguins held that margin until Kory Burkhart brought in O'Neill on a two-out single in the fifth. O'Neill reached with a one-out single and stole second after there were two outs.
Banks' second round-tripper came with two outs in the eighth and gave the Penguins a brief 3-2 lead, but Ohio tied the score again in the bottom half. Garrett Black hit a one-out single and, similar to O'Neill in the fifth, stole second and scored on a two-out hit.
Banks hit an opposite-field double with one out in the 10th to plate Armani Johnson, and Joe Iacobucci was walked intentionally to load the bases. The Penguins couldn't add any insurance, though, as Drew Dosch popped up and Craig Goubeaux struck out.
Ohio also had a runner on third with less than two outs twice in the middle innings and didn't score. The Bobcats had runners at the corners with one out in the fourth, but Aquadro escaped as Bryan Barnes was thrown out trying to score and J.R. Reynolds flew out. Ohio also had a runner on third with one out in the sixth, but Gecewich was thrown out at the plate on a grounder to Phil Lipari at second.
After Manuppelli exited, Padraic Williams allowed the run in the eighth, and Kevin McCulloh was on for the run in the 10th. Erik Okleson was charged with the loss, allowing the unearned run in 2.2 innings.
Ryan Burgett earned the win for Ohio in throwing three scoreless innings of relief. He was the sixth pitcher to appear for the Bobcats.
Banks had three of YSU's seven hits, and the top three hitters in the line-up had five of the seven hits. Gecewich and O'Neill had two hits apiece for Ohio, which also benefitted from eight walks.
Youngstown State begins a three-game Horizon League series on Friday at 3 p.m. against Milwaukee.
