Baseball: Ohio State begins Big Ten Conference play with a series win over Purdue

Mark Metz
Tue, 02 Apr 2024 00:31:11 +0000
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Sophomore Blaine Wynk (52) pitches during the games against Purdue on March 31st, 2024 held at Ohio State. The Buckeyes fell to Purdue 7-1. Credit: Lance Haupricht | Lantern Freelancer

The Ohio State baseball squad climbed its way back to an even record in the biggest series for the Buckeyes this season.

Ohio State (12-12, 2-1 Big Ten) followed up a dominating win on Friday with a walk-off victory on Saturday against Purdue (17-12, 2-4 Big Ten). Sunday saw the Buckeyes drop the series finale, finishing the weekend with a 2-1 record.

The Buckeyes scored first in game two as sophomore shortstop Henry Kaczmar raced home on a wild pitch, making the score 1-0. Graduate second baseman Joseph Mershon followed the score up with a double to score junior third baseman Tyler Pettorini, giving Ohio State a 2-0 lead.

The Boilermakers answered back in the top of the second against junior starter Gavin Bruni with an RBI double, shortening the Buckeye lead to one, 2-1.

The Buckeyes added one more in the bottom of the second after junior outfielder Trey Lipsey shot an RBI triple off the left-field wall to put Ohio State ahead, 3-1.

In the top of the third inning, the Boilermakers hit Bruni well, erupting for six runs off of a three-run home run and two RBI singles, giving Purdue the lead, 7-3.

Sophomore catcher Matthew Graveline hit his team-tying third home run of the season in the bottom of the third inning before an RBI double from the Boilermakers in the top of the fourth kept their lead at four runs, 8-4.

Graveline came up big again in the home half of the fourth after he hammered an RBI double to left center field. The double was followed up by back-to-back RBI triples for Pettorini and Mershon, leaving Purdue with a small one-run lead, 8-7.

The Buckeyes’ offense went blank for three straight innings while Purdue added one run in the top of the sixth inning and another run off an RBI single to make the score 10-7.

Pettorini gathered two more RBIs after he hit a screaming dinger over the right fielder’s head to put the Buckeyes down by just one run, 10-9.

The Boilermakers were retired in order in the top of the ninth, which gave the Buckeye bats one more opportunity in the bottom half of the inning.

Captain outfielder Mitchell Okuley started the ninth on base after he got hit by a pitch and advanced to second base on a Purdue throwing error. Senior first baseman Hank Thomas drew another hit-by-pitch to put two men on for Lipsey.

The Buckeyes were down to their last out when Lipsey made hard contact on a 1-0 count. Three seconds after the crack of the bat, Ohio State players gathered around home plate, celebrating a three-run blistering home run by Lipsey, propelling the Buckeyes to a 12-10 victory and series win against Purdue.

Graduate reliever Jacob Morin captured his second win of the season after pitching a hitless ninth inning while Lipsey finished the game with four RBIs.

On Sunday, Ohio State lost the series finale after the Boilermakers kept the Buckeyes to only one run.

The first two innings saw both teams go scoreless before the Purdue offense scored five runs in the top of the third off of a Buckeye error, a three-run home run and a bases-loaded walk.

The Buckeyes cut the lead to four in the bottom of the fourth after Graveline hit an RBI double down the left field line for his fourth RBI of the series, making the score 5-1.

Purdue added runs in the seventh and eighth innings on an RBI double and triple to extend their commanding lead to six.

The Ohio State offense was completely shut down for the rest of the game, giving the Boilermakers a 7-1 victory.

The Buckeyes were held to a mere three hits, while six of the eight pitchers Ohio State used didn’t give up a run. Freshman reliever Gavin DeVooght continued his impressive first season at Ohio State with a two-inning, one-hit performance.

The Buckeyes travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, to face the Cornhuskers Friday through Sunday with the first game beginning at 7 p.m.