This week was fun to watch, for the most part, as the Baseball Bucks got the bats going again, and got their first winning week since March 15-19

The week started with a couple mid-week MACtion games against Akron and Bowling Green. 

On Tuesday, Ohio State had their third straight run-ruled finish as they walloped the Zips. The scoring started in the B3 as the Buckeyes brought home 5 runs, and they wouldn't look back as they scored the first 14 runs, highlighted by 3-run homers by Matthew Graveline and Henry Kaczmar in the B5, to win the game 15-1. Graveline, Cole Andrews, and Josh McAlister paced the Buckeyes with 3 runs each, and Kaczmar led the team with 4 RBIs. Pitching was efficient as the pitchers combined for 7 strikeouts, and Jonah Jenkins was given the win, bringing him to 4-2 on the season.

The hitting would continue on Wednesday as the Buckeyes faced the Falcons from Bowling Green and played their first full game since the previous Friday. This time Ohio State would waste no time jumping out to a lead with a 2-run B1, highlighted by a triple by Graveline. The Buckeyes would stretch the lead to 7-0, capped off by a 2-run homer by Kaczmar, but two late runs by BGSU would make the final score 8-2. Try Lipsey and Nick Erwin led the way with 2 runs each, and Lipsey, Andrews, and Kaczmar brought in 6 of the 8 Buckeye RBIs. Pitching, again, was efficient, as 9 Falcon batters were struck out, and starter Josh Timmerman was given the win, bringing him to 1-1 on the season. 

The fun would be put on hold there as the Buckeyes would leave a lot left to be desired over the weekend against Maryland.

In Game 1 on Friday, Ohio State recorded a disturbing 14 runners left on base. Maryland took the lead and Ohio State would battle back and bring it down to a 1 run game two separate times, but a 3-run homer for Maryland in the T8 would prove to be too much as the Terps would hold on for the 7-5 win. Erwin and Marcus Ernst would lead the Bucks with 2 runs each, and Kaczmar led the way with 3 RBIs. Aside from the multitude of stranded runners, pitching was not great as the rotation gave up 10 walks to only 4 strikeouts, while starter Gavin Bruni was given the loss, dropping him to 2-1.

Game 2 on Saturday told a similar story as Ohio State left 10 runners stranded. Ohio State loaded the bases twice, but only had 1 run to show for it - on a walked batter. Mitchell Okuley had a home run in the B8 to bring the Buckeyes within 1 run, but that was all they could muster as the Terps won 3-2. Landon Beildelschies was given the loss, dropping him to 0-2.

Sunday's Game 3 was a massive turnaround considering the previous 2 games as Ohio State only left 4 on base. The Buckeyes jumped out to an 11-0 lead, highlighted by an 8-run B4 in which Tyler Pettorini started the inning with a single and ended it with a 3-run blast; and capped off by a 2-run homer by McAlister in the B5. The Terps would mount a furious comeback, scoring 8 runs in the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings, but closing pitcher Nolan Clegg slammed the door on them in the T9, throwing 12 strikes (or fouls) on 14 pitches, while striking out 2 of the 3 batters he faced to give the Buckeyes the 13-8 win. Pettorini was the highlight of the offense, recording 4 RBIs while scoring 2 runs of his own. Pitching was solid, striking out 7 while only walking 4, as reliever George Eisenhardt was given the win, bringing him to 2-2.

After the 3-2 week, Ohio State improved to 18-17.  Akron, along with getting swept by Kent State dropped to 13-22; Bowling Green, with a weekend series win against Eastern Michigan, moved to 13-19; and Maryland moved to 21-14.

Up next, Ohio State plays at Miami (OH) on Tuesday and has a make-up game at home against Dayton on Wednesday before travelling to Happy Valley to take on Penn State over the weekend.