Ohio State junior infielder Zach Dezenzo (4) and redshirt senior Conner Pohl (39) celebrate during the Ohio State-Maryland game on March 28. Ohio State won 5-4. Credit: Christian Harsa | Asst. Photo Editor
The calendar may only read April, but time is running out for the Buckeyes to turn around their season.
Ohio State (8-7) will have a prime opportunity to chase down Big Ten-leading Indiana (11-3) in a four-game series Friday through Sunday at Bill Davis Stadium. The Buckeyes look to string together some wins, which is primed to be a tall task as the Hooisers boast the best pitching staff and second-best offense in the conference.
The Buckeyes split each mini-series against Iowa and Maryland last weekend in their first homestand of the season, going 2-2 overall on the weekend and showing signs of inconsistency.
Head coach Greg Beals said the 8-2 victory Friday was the most well-rounded game Ohio State has played this season, producing at the plate, on the mound and with the leather.
The weekend ended with a 9-3 loss Monday that was arguably Ohio State’s worst performance of the season. It went 8-for-35 at the plate, committed two errors, walked six Terrapins batters and allowed nine stolen bases.
Indiana propelled to the best record in the Big Ten thanks to an eight-game win streak from March 5-19. It took two of three games against Michigan State in East Lansing last weekend, scoring 19 runs.
Indiana has made their bread and butter on the mound, fielding a two-headed monster atop its starting rotation.
Junior southpaw Tommy Sommer is second in the conference to Rutgers graduate left-hander Ben Werenski in ERA at an impressive 1.85 mark. His batting average allowed is only one point higher than the team’s average, allowing opposing hitters to own a .163 clip.
Sophomore right-hander McCade Brown has asserted himself as a dominating force on the bump, punching out a conference-best 43 hitters in 24 innings. His 2.25 ERA is good for fourth in the Big Ten.
Don’t let their pitching staff overshadow what the Hoosiers can do in the batter’s box as well.
Indiana’s .284 team batting average ranks second in the conference, trailing Northwestern by 20 percentage points.
Junior infielders Cole Barr and Drew Ashley anchor the top of Indiana’s lineup, as Barr is fourth in the Big Ten hitting .400, followed by Ashley at .396 just two spots behind him in sixth.
Freshman infielder Paul Toetz and redshirt senior infielder Jordan Fucci are no slouches in the Hoosiers’ lineup either, tied for the team lead with 13 RBI a piece.
Ohio State is sixth in the Big Ten and only 3.5 games out of first a little over a quarter into the 2021 season, so the Big Ten title is still within reach. However, with no conference tournament, the only guarantee to an NCAA Regional tournament is by finishing atop the regular season Big Ten standings.
The Buckeyes open play Friday at 4:05 p.m., Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader starts at 1:05 p.m., rounding out play Sunday with a 2:05 p.m. first pitch. All games will be streamed live on BTN+.
