Well this weekend was another roller coaster of emotions. Yet more bad pitching, combined with an offensive lull led to Ohio State getting swept over the weekend for a third time this season.
On Tuesday, Ohio State wrapped up their opening home stand with a visit from Eastern Michigan. Ohio State got off to a quick lead in the B1 as Tyler Pettorini launched a 2-run homer, scoring Trey Lipsey, along with Matthew Graveline stealing home. In the B2, with two outs, Pettorini brought home Lipsey and Lee Ellis on a 2-RBI double, then was brought home himself on an RBI-single from Graveline. A few batters later, Will Carpenter knocked in Graveline and Mason Eckelman as the Buckeyes blew the game open to an 8-0 lead. EMU scored 2 in the T3, but Ohio State responded in the B3 as Reggie Bussey came home on a sac-fly by Ellis and as Lipsey came home on a wild pitch. The Eagles scored 2 more in the T4, but bases loaded walks brought home Carpenter in the B4 and Ellis in the B5. EMU threatened to make the game close as they scored 3 in the T6, but Ellis scoring on a sac-fly by Graveline, along with closing pitcher Hunter Shaw striking out 4 of the batters he faced allowed Ohio State to close out the 13-7 win. Starter Gavin Kuzniewski earned the win, bringing him to 2-1 on the season
| 3/11/25 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| E. Michigan | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 1 |
| Ohio State | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | X | 13 | 16 | 0 |
BOTTOM 1 | NO DOUBTER A two-run bomb from @TPettorini puts the Buckeyes on the board!#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/PcK2b2tCMW
— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) March 11, 2025
BOTTOM 2 | A two-RBI double from @TPettorini extends the Ohio State lead, 5-0!#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/iW9tlcJeF7
— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) March 11, 2025
Next, the BaseBucks opened Big Ten play by traveling to Indiana for the third consecutive road series against the Hoosiers, and it was a frustrating weekend as the offense hit a lull for the vast majority of the weekend.
Game 1 on Friday was not good, to say the least. Nick Giamarusti opened the scoring in the T2 with a 2-run home run, bringing in Eckelman, but that was all the scoring Ohio State could muster as Indiana slowly strangled the Buckeyes, until a 2-run homer in the B8 allowed the Hoosiers to end the game early, winning 12-2 by run rule. Starting pitcher Chase Herrell recorded the loss, dropping him to 1-1 on the season.
| 3/14/25 (1) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | R | H | E |
| Ohio State | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| Indiana | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 0 |
TOP 2 | TOUCH 'EM ALL, @nickgiama28 Giamarusti with a two-run shot to left field to put the Buckeyes on the board!#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/qJTK17eVt6
— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) March 14, 2025
Game 2 was moved to Friday due to forecasted inclement weather on Saturday, and this game was much of the same story we've seen all season so far. This time, Pettorini got the scoring started in the T1 as he hit a 2-run homer, bringing home Ellis. Indiana got one back in the B1, but a double by Lipsey to bring home Bussey, followed by a single by Ellis, to bring Lipsey home stretched the Buckeye lead to 4-1 in the T2. Ohio State built on their lead as Bussey was brought home again on a double by Lipsey in the T4; as Eckelman came home on a Carpenter single in the T5; and as Graveline launched a solo home run in the T7, as the Buckeyes took a commanding 7-3 lead late. However, late game pitching once again doomed the Buckeyes. A hit batter followed by three extra-base-hits allowed Indiana to tie the game at 7 in the B8. Then, after a scoreless 9th, a walk-off RBI single in the B10 gave Indiana the series clinching 8-7 comeback win. Closer Hunter Shaw recorded the loss, dropping him to 1-3 on the season
| 3/14/25 (2) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | R | H | E |
| Ohio State | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 11 | 2 |
| Indiana | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 0 |
TOP 1 | THAT BALL IS GONE @TPettorini with a two-run bomb to open game two scoring!#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/dvrAS4eChS
— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) March 14, 2025
TOP 5 | Things we love to see: A @EckelmanMason triple #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/7UHbLlu7OJ
— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) March 14, 2025
TOP 7 | THIS BALL WAS DESTROYED @MGraveline09 with a solo home run that CLEARED THE PINE TRESS to extend the Buckeye lead, 7-3!#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/H0sr2kQhTf
— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) March 14, 2025
Game 3 on Sunday was much like the first game on Friday. This time, however, Indiana did not waste any time taking the lead, as they got off to a 7-0 lead after 2 innings. Graveline hit a 2-RBI homer in the T4, to bring Pettorini home, and an RBI-single in the T5, scoring Ellis, to get Ohio State on the board, but again, that was all the Buckeyes could muster as Indiana scored 7 in the B5 to end the game early again, winning 14-3 after only 7 innings. Starter Jake Michalak recorded the loss, dropping him to 1-2 on the season.
| 3/16/25 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| Ohio State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Indiana | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 10 | 0 |
TOP 4 | GRAVY BOMB @MGraveline09 sends a two-run no-doubter out of the park to put the Buckeyes on the board!#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/MpJojt4hof
— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) March 16, 2025
After the 1-3 week, Ohio State dropped to 5-12 (0-3). Eastern Michigan moved to 9-8 after a series win at Western Michigan, and Indiana improved to 11-9 (4-2).
Up Next, Ohio State hosts 10-9 Miami (OH) on Tuesday before hitting the road again to play 10-8 (4-2) Iowa.
