In a series filled with home runs for the Ohio baseball team - eight to be precise - two instances of contact-hitting won the second game of yesterday's doubleheader against Miami, 11-10, in extra innings.

A line-drive from Chuck Lombardy to left field eluded RedHawk left fielder Tom Yost and brought home second baseman Joe Carlone, who lined a two-strike single to right field, to win the game and sweep the four-game series from the previous Mid-American East division leader.

Carlone, who stepped in late in the contest at second base for a banged-up Ryan Kyes, was one of several unlikely Bobcat heroes who helped capture this sweep, so necessary to the Bobcats' post-season hopes.

Joining him on head coach Joe Carbone's congratulatory list is senior infielder/designated hitter Bryan D'Amico. D'Amico went 3-3 with his first home run of the season in game four yesterday, a 3-1 win.

"Here's a kid that for four years has worked hard, and doesn't complain about anything," Carbone said. "(He) comes out to practice, does everything you ask him to do, he plays hard. He's behind (Jason) Arbinger at third and (Jeff) Rook at first base, so he's behind two pretty good guys. I decided about a week ago we were going to start giving him some playing time because of how hard he's worked here for four years."

In that aforementioned game, D'Amico managed to collect the only extra-base hits of the contest, adding a double and single to home run. Lombardy dominated the first game from the mound, notching eight strikeouts in his seven innings of work. Lombardy allowed no earned runs in the contest to push his record to 3-4.

The second game proved to be an offensive affair as both teams combined for 28 hits, including nine doubles.

Ohio (24-25, 15-11 in the MAC) started off the game hot for starter Adam Svala, scoring five runs in the first inning. The Bobcat bats lighted up the RedHawks' pitching staff for runs in seven of its eight innings of work. Ohio was up 7-3 before the Miami (27-23, 16-12) bats awoke from their slumber, scoring seven runs in the third and fourth innings, to lead 10-8.

The Bobcats scored two in the bottom of the inning on a Brian Wingfield infield single and a Mike Goldstein sacrifice fly, causing the game to extend one extra inning before Lombardy won the game with his single.

Joe Beyer picked up the win with 3 1/3 innings of one-hit ball for his second win of the season. Kyes continued his strong play this season, going 7-8 on the day, with 3 RBIs.

With their backs against the wall, the Bobcats refused to back down and showed an emotional spirit Carbone said could carry them through the MAC tournament, should they make it.

"You feel great any time you can win four; it's tough winning four," he said. "Things have to go right, and you have to get performances from everybody, pitching, hitting and defensively. I thought for the first three games we got good pitching, good timely hitting and good defense. It fell apart a little bit, defensively, in the fourth game. But we hung tough, and I thought (pitching) coach Bill Toadvine did a great job calling pitches on their hitters.

Saturday's games were much like yesterday's, a first-game pitching duel and a closing slugfest.

Ohio won game one of the series, 4-3, on the strength of a three-run home run by Arbinger that tied him for second place on the all-time list with Rook and Mike Schmidt at 27. His blast to center field was the last run of the game as starters Tony Schiml (5-2) and Tyson Neal cruised along the rest of the game.

Not to be outdone, Rook kept his slim lead in the race to history, hitting his 28th career home run in game two Saturday, a 16-10 win. In that run-happy affair, five Bobcats cleared the fences en route to Andrew See's fifth win of the year.

Outfielder Brady Mangini felt the energy on the field, and was ebuillent after yesterday's twin victories.

"It was awesome," he said. "It was like we were playing baseball again. Everyone was out playing hard, diving, getting dirty. Everybody was going to the plate and battling. I think we came out here and we played harder than (Miami) did and we wanted it more and we beat them."

The Bobcats now control their own playoff destiny as they prepare to host Kent next weekend after a Wednesday non-conference game against Duquesne. Ohio is in the hunt for three East spots in the MAC tournament with Bowling Green, Kent and Miami.