Ohio State senior left-handed pitcher Griffan Smith (37) winds up for a pitch during the Ohio State-Indiana game on April 3. Ohio State won 5-2. Credit: Gretchen Rudolph | For The Lantern
In the game of baseball, sometimes all it takes is one pitch or one swing of the bat for all of the momentum to shift.
The Buckeyes were on the wrong end of that Saturday.
Ohio State (18-16) was shut out 2-0 by Michigan State (15-22) Saturday afternoon, as junior catcher Adam Proctor’s first home run of the season — a 2-run blast off freshman left-hander Isaiah Coupet in the top of the fifth inning — was enough to clinch the Spartans at least a series win over the Buckeyes.
“They threw strikes with two pitches and we were stuck in-between,” head coach Greg Beals said. “Our hitters didn’t do a good job of staying focused and making sure they were on one of the pitches and getting the pitch they were wanting to hit. So, give them credit for throwing strikes and mixing it up. But, we got to do a better job.”
Four pitchers combined to hold Ohio State to just four hits in the ballgame, and sophomore right-hander Burrell Jones earned credit for the win after throwing 3 2/3 innings of one-hit ball after sophomore right-handed starter Jackson Bennett threw three scoreless frames.
Senior and co-captain southpaw Griffan Smith made his first start on the mound since March 8, 2020, and first at Bill Davis Stadium since May 11, 2019. Smith was lifted with one out in the fourth inning upon throwing pitch No. 51 on the day, and allowed two hits and one walk alongside two strikeouts.
“I felt pretty good,” Smith said. “Went out there and competed and did my best to hit my spots and execute my pitches.”
Smith appeared in nine games prior to his start Saturday, bringing a 7.04 earned-run average with him in addition to 14 strikeouts and three walks in 15 1/3 innings.
The left-hander yielded a one-out single to sophomore right fielder Zaid Walker in the top of the first inning, then retired seven of the next eight Spartans hitters.
Coupet finished the fourth inning with a strikeout of freshman shortstop Mitch Jebb before inducing a fielder’s choice.
“Griffan did exactly what we needed him to do,” Beals said. “Just looked like it was the right time to make the move. We were at the number even though he was giving up, you know, he put the three zeros on the board. We were at the number and we were just tracking the pitch quality and felt like it was the right time.”
Senior designated hitter Andrew Morrow drove a first-pitch single up the middle to begin the top of the fifth inning, then sophomore first baseman Reese Trahey worked a full-count walk.
A sacrifice bunt and out at the plate brought up Proctor with Trahey on third base. The Michigan State No. 9 hitter then pulled a 2-2 offering high in the air to right field, and it landed over the wall to give the Spartans their lead. It marked the second-straight day that a Spartans’ No. 9 hitter drove his season’s first home run against the Buckeyes.
Junior right-hander Will Pfennig pitched the final four innings rather impressively, holding Michigan State to just one hit while walking one and punching out a pair.
Ohio State’s offense couldn’t muster much momentum, and had one runner reach scoring position through the first six innings in the form of junior left fielder Marcus Ernst’s leadoff double in the bottom of the third.
Redshirt seniors first baseman Conner Pohl and catcher Brent Todys extended their respective hitting streaks to 16 and 14 games, respectively. Both streaks are career-bests.
Senior second baseman Colton Bauer was the lone Buckeye to reach third base after initially taking first on a hit by pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning. He took second base on a wild pitch, then raced to third upon tagging up on junior third baseman Nick Erwin’s flyout to right field.
All but two Buckeyes starters struck out at least once, and they drew three walks in the game. Neither team hit well with runners on base, as Michigan State was 1-for-10 and Ohio State was 0-for-11.
“It’s not who we are,” Smith said. “We got to find a way to go out there and play free and play to compete and play to win for each other and win for the name on the front of our chests.”
The series finale is set for a 1:05 p.m. start Sunday. Junior right-hander Garrett Burhenn will start on four days rest after throwing six innings in Tuesday’s 5-1 win at Purdue. He will be countered by junior righty Sam Benschoter in a ballgame that will broadcast on BTN+.
