Ohio State junior right-handed pitcher Garrett Burhenn (7) preparing to deliver a pitch in the Ohio State-Iowa game March 26. Ohio State won the game 8-2. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Spectators were left to wonder how Buckeyes junior Garrett Burhenn could follow his masterful complete game against Indiana on Sunday heading into the right-hander’s start on Saturday.
First, Burhenn struck out the side in the top of the first inning. Then, he did it again in his final frame of the night — only this time, he loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth inning beforehand.
Burhenn recorded strikeouts No. 9, 10 and 11 after allowing the first three Wildcat hitters to reach in the sixth while he guided Ohio State (22-19) to a 4-1 triumph over Northwestern (14-21) on Saturday night. The 6-foot-3 hurler admitted he worked himself into a jam; he just wanted to make sure he got out of it.
“Bases loaded, the runners can’t really move any more, so that stress kind of is off the mind,” Burhenn said. “They are where they are on the bases however they got there. I just needed to shut it down for the team.”
Pitching coach Dan DeLucia visited the right-hander on the mound once Northwestern threatened to spoil the Buckeyes’ then 2-1 lead. Burhenn said the two rehashed the game plan for the next three hitters, with a focus on finishing strong.
And that Burhenn did. He needed just 13 pitches — 10 for strikes — to punch out Northwestern’s No. 5-7 hitters and escape the bases-loaded, no-out jam.
Burhenn finished the night with 11 strikeouts, tying his season-high from just last weekend while scattering five hits and one walk, which came in his final inning. The lone blemish was an RBI double allowed to freshman right fielder Ethan O’Donnell in the top of the fourth inning, which allowed redshirt junior center fielder David Dunn to race home and score from first base.
“I already got choked up talking about this on the radio,” head coach Greg Beals said. “The decision was actually pretty simple for me: Garrett has pitched so well and he’s earned the right to pitch himself out of that jam. The bottom line is Garrett has worked so hard, I’ve seen it for three years the level of preparation that he puts in and he deserved the right to have the opportunity to pitch himself out of that jam and he certainly did.”
The Buckeyes scored two critical insurance runs in the bottom half of the sixth to extend their lead to 4-1.
Redshirt senior catcher Brent Todys worked a one-out walk and advanced to third base when junior third baseman Marcus Ernst crushed a double to the wall in right-center field.
Up stepped senior second baseman Colton Bauer to the plate, and he smoked a 2-run single the other way to right field. Bauer finished the night 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.
“Colton’s really good when he’s simply competing,” Beals said. “When he’s just in compete mode and trying to produce for the ballclub, he’s really good. That line drive to right field was just that. He took the pitch that was given to him and was just competing and didn’t try to do too much with it.”
Sophomore righty Ethan Hammerberg made his first appearance since April 30 when he came out of the bullpen to start the seventh inning. The 6-foot-5 hurler quickly struck out the first two hitters he faced, then worked into a jam of his own.
A full-count walk to leadoff-hitting junior first baseman Anthony Calarco was followed by a single through the hole to left field by junior shortstop Shawn Goosenberg. With the fresh three-run pad behind him, Hammerberg took a deep breath and forced sophomore designated hitter Stephen Hrustich to ground out to shortstop and end the inning.
“I hope he feels the trust level that we have to put him in a 3-run game in the seventh inning and that we have trust in him,” Beals said. “Ethan Hammerberg is one of these guys that is evolving. He’s a guy who’s taken advantage of those opportunities behind closed doors, basically in Tuesday-Wednesday scrimmages to prove that he’s ready for that opportunity. He got it and took advantage of it.”
Graduate left-hander Patrick Murphy and junior righty TJ Brock pitched perfect eighth and ninth innings, respectively, with two strikeouts apiece.
Offensively, junior shortstop Zach Dezenzo crushed his ninth home run of the season to deep left-center field in the bottom of the third inning, completing his night 1-for-2 with two walks Sophomore right fielder Mitchell Okuley also added two hits and scored a run.
Northwestern was led behind Goosenberg’s three hits and saw senior starting pitcher Hank Christie spin six innings of seven-hit, five-strikeout ball all while on the hook for all four Buckeyes runs.
Draft-eligible as a junior, Burhenn acknowledged that Saturday very well could’ve been his final start as a Buckeye if he turns pro later this summer. The Indianapolis native reflected on his tenure with the Buckeyes, crediting those around him who helped develop his routine that’s gotten him to where he is now.
“I’ve always been a hard-worker, so I’ll always have that,” Burhenn said. “I think just staying the course, trusting the people around me as I complete my work and things will follow through.”
The series wraps Sunday at 2:05 p.m. and will broadcast on BTN+. Senior Day recognition honoring five Buckeyes seniors will begin prior to first pitch.
