Ohio State freshman outfielder Trey Lipsey (28) stands ready to hit during the Buckeyes’ game against Toledo at Bill Davis Stadium Wednesday. Ohio State lost 7-6. Credit: Casey Smith | Assistant Lantern TV Sports Producer
Ohio State was unable to come up with any answers for Nebraska’s offense, as the Cornhuskers swept the series by a final score of 17-5 Sunday.
The Cornhuskers (12-14, 4-2 Big Ten) took advantage of Buckeye (8-16, 0-4 Big Ten) pitching with two outs and came up with key hits. Four different Nebraska batters had multi-RBI games, as 13 of the 17 runs the Cornhuskers scored came with two outs.
“We got to win each moment,” head coach Greg Beals said. “We just need to have a heightened focus in each individual moment and win the process in order to get through this.”
The game got off to a fast start in the first inning with each team exchanging runs. Junior designated hitter Nick Wimmers hit a two-run single with the bases loaded to give Nebraska an early 2-0 lead.
The Buckeyes responded right back in the bottom half of the first inning. After senior infielder Marcus Ernst walked and stole second, he scored on an RBI single by freshman infielder Tyler Pettorini. Three batters later, senior infielder Colton Bauer hit his own two-run single to give Ohio State a 3-2 lead.
In the fourth inning, junior right-hander Wyatt Loncar ran into trouble for Ohio State. After sophomore infielder Jack Steil was hit by a pitch, he advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and a balk. He subsequently scored on an RBI groundout by sophomore infielder Brice Matthews — who extended his 20-game on-base streak with a walk earlier in the second inning.
Nebraska added two more runs on a two-run double off of freshman right-hander Jake Johnson to give Nebraska a 5-3 lead after four innings.
The Cornhuskers would not let up. After chasing Johnson from the game on a single and a walk in the top of the fifth inning, Matthews hit an RBI single through the right side of the infield off of senior right-hander TJ Brock, who made his first appearance in 13 days. Senior outfielder Cam Chick added to the lead on another RBI single to extend the lead to 7-3 after five innings.
“We need to do just more as a team overall,” Beals said. “It’s so that every pitch isn’t so critical. We need to get a multiple-run lead and create some breathing room for our pitching staff. Yes, I pushed buttons today that didn’t work, and sure that can be on me, but we went with guys we felt very confident in and I will continue to have confidence in those guys.”
Nebraska freshman right-hander Jaxon Jelkin was tremendous in two innings of work, not allowing the Buckeyes to score a run and only allowing two baserunners.
In the seventh inning, the Cornhuskers blew the game open after junior right-hander Nate Karaffa allowed three baserunners to reach before recording an out. After sophomore infielder Max Anderson recorded an RBI groundout, redshirt freshman outfielder Garrett Anglim hit a two-run double off of junior right-hander Ethan Hammerberg to make the game 10-3 after seven innings.
Beals was ejected from the game in the seventh inning after a dispute with the third base umpire over bringing Hammerberg into the game. Beals said he had no comment on the dispute.
Ohio State got a pair of runs back when freshman outfielder Trey Lipsey hit a two-run home run off of junior right-hander Mason Ornelas to make it a 10-5 game after eight innings.
“The game’s not over,” Lipsey said. “I can’t give up on an at-bat. I have been through some pretty brutal games before. But we just need to keep fighting for the brotherhood. We have to just let this one go and bounce back.”
But, any chance of a comeback was thwarted by Nebraska’s big ninth inning. Ohio State allowed 12 Nebraska batters to the plate and score seven runs, highlighted by Chick drawing his fifth walk of the game and becoming the first Nebraska hitter to do so since 1999. Junior outfielder Luke Sartori opened the floodgates on a grand slam off senior left-hander Mitch Milheim.
The Buckeyes are back in action Tuesday at home against Youngstown State at 6:05 p.m.
