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Ohio State senior catcher and first baseman Archer Brookman (29) makes solid contact with a pitch during the Ohio State-Purdue game on May 2. Ohio State lost 15-16. Credit: Gretchen Rudolph | For
The Lantern

Archer Brookman entered Saturday’s ballgame versus Purdue a lowly 2-for-30 at the plate this season, and regularly started behind the dish when teammate and redshirt-junior left-hander Seth Lonsway toed the mound.

Head coach Greg Beals penciled Brookman at catcher for Lonsway’s latest start against the Boilermakers, but the senior catcher stole the show after breaking out for a 2-for-2 performance in which Brookman blasted the first two home runs of his Buckeyes career and reached base in all five plate appearances.

“I never doubted myself and just stuck with my routine,” Brookman said. “Entering the week, I was trending. I was starting to feel better, feeling a lot better at the plate. During our intrasquads, starting to hit the ball a lot better. So I mean, I guess this weekend it trended well.”

When Brookman crossed home after his second home run in the eighth inning, junior shortstop Zach Dezenzo said the Buckeyes in the dugout gave their teammate the “silent treatment,” a celebration where players casually pass off the previous play nonchalantly, then crowd and cheer the player moments later.

“He’s a humble kid, but he’s a very, very outgoing kid at the same time,” Dezenzo said. “It’s just great to see him having success at the plate like that. We knew all along he was capable of doing that as well, just took him some time. He’s finally bringing it all together, and props to him for having a great day.”

Dezenzo was the other Buckeye who connected on a longball during Saturday’s 12-2 win, and he did so again in Sunday’s offensive onslaught despite the 16-15 loss.

In fact, eight total home runs were hit Sunday between Ohio State and Purdue — including Brookman’s — and perhaps the warmer May weather contributed, given the high temperature was near 80 degrees.

“The conditions definitely played a factor today,” Brookman said. “It almost felt like any ball that was hit in the air had a chance to go out. We couldn’t pull out the victory, so it was tough.”

Getting a hit to fall into a hole may have been tough in the first half of the season for Brookman, but that wasn’t the case last weekend as he finished the series 5-for-8 with six runs scored, five RBIs, three home runs and a double.

While Beals said Brookman was recruited as an offensive-minded catcher from the junior college ranks, the Buckeyes skipper said Brookman has become a great defender, especially against Lonway’s signature hooking curveball that has helped the left-hander to a Big Ten-best 80 strikeouts this season.

“He’s really grown defensively, I mean, he’s a plus behind home plate,” Beals said. “Lonsway is not easy to catch. Those blocks are so critical because they’re swings and misses, and a lot of times you got to finish plays at first base. The bat, we know it’s there. I felt like he’s been trending over the last couple weeks with the quality of his at-bats and drawing some walks, and in the mid-weeks he’s had good at-bats.”

Brookman was credited with 12 putouts while catching Saturday, and said he takes playing the position very seriously. He credited his relationship with Lonsway as to why the pair works well together, and the left-hander spoke similarly after his battery mate’s offensive performance.

“That was awesome, super happy for Arch,” Lonsway said. “That’s awesome to see him come out and hit the ball well like he did. He deserves it, he’s a workhorse behind the plate for me. Lot of love for him.”

Brookman’s offensive surge represents the turnaround Ohio State has had over its last two series. After a 5-game losing streak was capped by a road sweep at Maryland, the Buckeyes have outscored both Penn State and Purdue at home 62-37.

It was a determined mindset that helped the Buckeyes break the skid and win four of their last six, and for Brookman, he said he doesn’t doubt the potential of the Buckeyes ballclub entering the stretch run in the final month of the regular season.

“We’re a very resilient bunch,” Brookman said. “Everyone’s pretty close, this is a close-knit group. There’s never any doubt on our side. We’ll fight to the very last pitch.”