Members of the Ohio State baseball team run off the field after huddling up before the Ohio State-Indiana game on April 3. Ohio State won 6-0. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Heading into last weekend’s series against No. 25 Michigan, the Ohio State baseball team was the hottest in the Big Ten, looking to continue its climb in the conference standings.
A series win looked inevitable after their 7-4 victory Friday, but the Buckeyes dropped Saturday and Sunday’s contests after getting outscored 23-7.
Ohio State (13-9) looks to get back on track against Maryland (10-12) this weekend, jump-starting a stretch of four consecutive series in which it won’t play an opponent above .500 — a prime opportunity for the Buckeyes to move up from its No. 4 conference standing. However, head coach Greg Beals said he is not paying attention to records.
“Every game’s important, and it doesn’t matter what their records are,” Beals said Sunday. “We got to make sure our guys are ready to beat anybody and everybody on the day we’re playing.”
The Wolverines certainly had Ohio State’s number for the majority of the weekend, but one guy who emerged as a potential offensive threat was graduate utility Scottie Seymour.
Seymour hadn’t got much playing time, only having three at-bats and none since March 12 ahead of his first start of the season Friday. However, the Maumee, Ohio, native took full advantage of his two starts in left field, going 4-for-7 on the weekend with a pair of triples to his credit.
“Obviously, (I) hoped to win the job out of the gates this year on opening day, but it didn’t work out,” Seymour said. “It’s been something I’ve been working for for a long time.”
With the left field situation having been a revolving door, Beals said Sunday that Seymour might see his name in the starting lineup more often.
As for the Terrapins, they have been scuffling a bit too, coming off a series loss to Big Ten-surprise Nebraska, losing the finale Sunday 14-3.
Maryland is led offensively by junior shortstop Benjamin Cowles who has been a power-hitting threat in the middle of the Terrapins’ order.
Cowles is hitting .360 on the year, leading the Big Ten with 29 RBIs and an .813 slugging percentage in 75 at-bats. In Ohio State’s two-game series against the Terrapins March 28-29, he went 4-for-8 with four RBIs.
He has certainly taken advantage of Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium’s dimensions — 320 feet to left, 380 to center and 325 to right — clubbing 10 of the Terrapins’ 31 home runs, which is tied for third most in the conference.
This will be something to watch as the three Ohio State starting pitchers toeing the rubber this weekend have allowed nine of the team’s 19 total long balls surrendered as a staff.
He has a little help from senior outfielder Randy Bednar, who received Perfect Game’s Preseason All-Big Ten honors. Bednar is not as big of a power threat as Cowles but has provided a consistent bat for the Terrapins, hitting .322 in the 2021 campaign.
He is one of the club’s hottest hitters at the moment, posting multi-hit performances in three of the last five games. His last time out against the Buckeyes, he went 4-for-10 with two RBIs in two games.
On the other side of the diamond, Maryland is led by redshirt sophomore righty Sean Burke. He has posted a 1-2 record with a 5.06 ERA, which may distort the perception of how good the Perfect Game Preseason Big Ten Pitcher of the Year is.
The Sutton, Massachusetts, native has surrendered an earned run in each of his first six starts, but has struck out 53 and allowed only 24 hits in 32 innings on the year, proving he has the stuff to dominate a lineup when at his best.
“We’ll go face Maryland’s No. 1 pitcher who’s probably going to be the first draft pick out of the Big Ten,” Beals said. “He’s got electric stuff, he can beat you any night, so I’m not buying records.”
The Buckeyes will look to build off their 5-2 finish to the first half of the season Friday at 6:30 p.m. as junior right-hander Garrett Burhenn will take the mound against Burke. Saturday’s 2 p.m. matchup will feature redshirt junior lefty Seth Lonsway on the bump against Maryland sophomore righty Nick Dean. First pitch of Sunday’s finale is set for 1 p.m. with junior right-handed pitcher Jack Neely opposing freshman righty Jason Savacool.
All games will be streamed live on BTN+.
