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BaseBucks Earn Huge Week on the Diamond

+13 HS
Bucks2K18's picture
by Bucks2K18
March 9, 2025 at 4:30pm
9 Comments

Well, with a downgrade in competition comes somewhat better results. Still a lot of issues, especially with the bullpen, but the Buckeyes got some wins to add to their record.

 

In the earliest home opener since 1992, Ohio State hosted St. John's for a midweek one-off game. Ohio State opened the scoring in the B1 as Trey Lipsey came home on a wild pitch to give the Buckeyes an early 1-0 lead. However, St. John's responded with 3 in the T3 and a solo home run in the T4 to take a 4-1 lead. But, Ohio State didn't fold. In the B4, Matthew Graveline doubled, bringing home Tyler Pettorini, and then was brought home on a Mason Eckelman single; then Nick Giamarusti hit a 2-RBI single, bringing home Eckelman and Marc Stephens as the Buckeyes retook the lead 5-4. Lee Ellis followed that up by bringing Lipsey home on a 2-run homer in the B5 to extend the lead to 7-4. However, as would be a common theme throughout the week, the T7 was not so kind to the BaseBucks as the Red Storm drove in 4 to retake the lead 8-7. Ohio State immediately responded in the B7 as Graveline hit a 2-RBI single and Stephens hit an RBI double, driving in Lipsey and Ellis, and subsequently Graveline himself as the Buckeyes took a late 10-8 lead. The Red Storm tied it up in the T8, but in the B8, Lipsey singled, bringing home Sal Mineo, and then worked around the bases to come home on a wild pitch to give the BaseBucks a 12-10 lead going into the final frame. Drew Erdmann came onto the mound, and earned the save as he took care of three of the five batters he faced to shut the door on the Red Storm and give the Buckeyes the home-opening win. Penultimate pitcher Gavin Kuzniewski earned the win, his first on the season.

3/4/25 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
St. John's 0 0 3 1 0 0 4 2 0 10 12 2
Ohio State 1 0 0 4 2 0 3 2 X 12 12 1

 

 

Ohio State then moved on to their home-opening series, welcoming in the Valparaiso Beacons over the weekend

 

Game 1 on Friday left a lot to be desired, especially considering the quality of opponent. Valpo got the scoring going in the T1, taking an early 1-0 lead, but Ohio State responded in the B1 as Graveline singled to bring home Pettorini, followed by a 2-run homer by Eckelman to give the Buckeyes the 3-1 lead. The Beacons responded with 3 of their own in the T2, but Ohio State tied it up in the B2 thanks to a Reggie Bussey RBI single to bring home Zach Freeman. After a couple scoreless innings, Valpo retook the lead in the T5, and then disaster struck in the T7. Through a revolving door of pitchers for Ohio State, Valpo brought 5 runs across to extend their lead to 10-5. Pettorini hit a bases-clearing double in the B7 to close the gap to 10-7, but that was all the offense could muster as Valpo closed out the game to steal the series opening win. Relief pitcher Kuzniewski recorded the loss, dropping him to 1-1 on the season.

3/7/25 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Valparaiso 1 3 0 0 1 0 5 0 0 10 13 1
Ohio State 3 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 7 9 2

 

 

Game 2 on Saturday was much better on both side of the bat. This time, Ohio State opened the scoring in the B1, as Lipsey scored on a sac-fly by Eckelman. Then in the B2, Will Carpenter scored on a Lipsey groundout and Ellis scored on a Valpo error to extend the early lead to 3-0. In the B3, Carpenter hit a 2-run homer, bringing home Graveline; and in the B4, Ellis hit an RBI double to drive in Lipsey and extend the lead to 6-0. After another scoreless few innings, Valpo took a big chunk out of the lead, scoring 4 in the T7. But Ohio State hung tough, and had a bigger B7. Pettorini scored on a Graveline sac-fly, Eckelman scored on a wild pitch, and Giamarusti scored on a fielder's choice. Then in a 2-out rally situation, Maddix Simpson scored on another wild pitch, and Ellis hit a 2-RBI triple to give the BaseBucks a 12-4 lead. In the B8, Graveline scored on a Simpson sac-fly, and then just as he started the day with a single, Lipsey ended the game with a 2-RBI single, driving in Eckelman and Giamarusti, giving Ohio State the 15-4 run rule win to tie up the series. Starting pitcher Chase Herrell earned the win, his first decision of the season. 

3/8/25 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Valparaiso 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4 5 1
Ohio State 1 2 2 1 0 0 6 3 15 12 0

 

Game 3 on Sunday to decide the series, can be described as a bullpen matchup. Ohio State again got the scoring going, as Carpenter hit ground-rule double to drive in Giamarusti and then was driven in himself on a Simpson RBI-single in the B2. In the B3, Ellis scored on a Graveline sac-fly to give the Buckeyes a 3-0 lead. Valpo put 1 up in the T4, and then loaded the bases in the T7, threatening to take the lead, but Copenhaver came in and slammed the door, striking out his only 7th inning batter faced in 3 pitches. In the B7, back to back homers by Pettorini and Graveline, bringing home Ellis along with them, extended the Buckeye lead to 6-1. Then in the B8, Pettorini brought home Lipsey on an RBI single, then worked around the bases and scored on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 8-1. Ohio State loaded the bases, threatening to end the game early again, but a diving catch by the Valpo left fielder gave the Beacons one last chance going into the 9th. Valpo scored 2 in the T9, but closing pitcher Spencer Hill, on a throw from Pettorini ended the Beacons' hopes, giving Ohio State the 8-3 win to take the series. Starting Pitcher Jake Michalak earned the win as he struck out 10 Valpo batters through 6.0 innings.

3/8/25 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Valparaiso 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 3 8 1
Ohio State 0 2 1 0 0 0 3 2 X 8 13 0

 

 

After the 3-1 week, Ohio State improved to 4-9 on the season. St. John's, along with a series win against New Jersey Institute of Technology improved(?) to 3-10, and Valparaiso dropped to 3-8.

 

Up Next, Ohio State hosts 7-6 Eastern Michigan on Tuesday before traveling to 7-9 Indiana to open up Big Ten play.

 

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