Senior infielder Marcus Ernst (2) hits a ball during the Buckeyes’ game against Michigan State April 9, 2022, at Bill Davis Stadium. Ohio State won 13-5. Credit: Casey Smith | Assistant Lantern TV Sports Producer
After eight-unanswered runs scored in an 8-2 victory over Gonzaga Sunday, Ohio State travels on a high note back to Columbus after playing four games in Phoenix.
With the weekend finale win against the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes (3-5) took one of four against Grand Canyon (6-2) and Gonzaga (1-7).
Ohio State fell in both games against Grand Canyon in tight fashion, falling 1-0 in a pitcher’s duel in the series opener Thursday and 7-5 on a walk-off two-run home run by Antelopes graduate utilityman Zack Gregory Saturday.
After 10 innings, Ohio State lost to Gonzaga 11-9 Friday before continuing its offensive success with an 8-2 win in the series finale Sunday.
Sophomore infielder Tyler Pettorini had a series-high five hits, while graduate catcher Cole Andrews, graduate infielder Marcus Ernst, junior outfielder Kade Kern and freshman catcher Matthew Graveline tallied home runs for an Ohio State offense that scored 28 runs in its last three games of the series.
The Buckeyes starting rotation excelled in all four games. Ohio State’s starters went 2-0 giving up just four earned runs and striking out 16 batters over 21 1/3 innings.
Game one
For the second-straight outing, junior left-hander Isaiah Coupet tossed a pitching gem, but it was not enough as Ohio State fell 1-0 to Grand Canyon in a classic pitcher’s duel.
Coupet punched out nine batters in a season-high seven innings, giving up one run on six hits. He now has 18 strikeouts on the season through 13 innings, holding opposing teams to two runs and 13 hits.
Grand Canyon junior left-hander Zach Thornton matched Coupet with six shutout innings and a season-high 11 strikeouts. Thornton has not allowed a run in his first two starts and 11 2/3 innings with the Antelopes after transferring from Barton Community College in Kansas.
The Buckeyes and Antelopes combined for one run and 11 hits, with early chances to score.
Sophomore infielder Josh McAlister tripled to lead off the game, but could not be brought home.
In the bottom of the first inning, Grand Canyon junior outfielder Homer Bush Jr. tried for the lead off triple but was thrown out by senior outfielder Mitchell Okuley.
Grand Canyon broke the ice in the bottom of the seventh inning when freshman utilityman Zach Yorke ripped an RBI double down the right field line, his second double of the game.
Graduate right-hander Cody Tucker earned the victory for the Antelopes, pitching the final three innings and retiring nine of 11 batters faced. Coupet picked up the loss despite seven strong innings.
Game two
After being held scoreless by Grand Canyon on Thursday, Ohio State was quick to jump on Gonzaga the next day.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning, Graveline hit a towering drive over the wall in left field for a grand slam, his first career home run. Graveline made it two-consecutive years with a grand slam by an Ohio State freshman, with outfielder Trey Lipsey doing it on Feb. 18, 2022, versus Marshall.
Gonzaga followed with a stretch of six-unanswered runs, capped off by a two-run triple in the fifth inning by redshirt freshman outfielder Enzo Apodaca and a two-run home run by sophomore third baseman Cade McGee the next at-bat.
With the momentum in their favor, the Bulldogs took a 9-7 lead into the ninth inning.
Down two runs in the bottom of the ninth, Ernst drew a lead off walk. Representing the tying run, Kern hit a dramatic two-run home run to send the game into extra innings.
In the top of the 10th inning, Gonzaga loaded the bases against sophomore right-hander Jacob Gehring. With two outs, Bulldogs sophomore infielder Tommy Eisenstat roped a two-run double to regain the lead.
In the bottom of the 10th, Gonzaga’s infield turned a double play and redshirt junior right-hander Jacob Rutherford struck out senior infielder Nick Erwin to defeat Ohio State 11-9.
Game three
Ohio State’s misfortunes continued in its final game against Grand Canyon. Despite taking a 5-0 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning, the Antelopes stormed back and won 7-5 on a walk-off home run.
The Buckeyes jumped on Grand Canyon starter junior left-hander Connor Markl, getting a single from McAlister in the second inning to score Andrews on a throwing error.
Two innings later, Andrews deposited a fly ball into the right field seats for a solo home run, his first as a Buckeye and the 20th of his career. Andrews finished the day going 3-for-4, pacing the team at the plate.
Sophomore left-hander Gavin Bruni (0-1) had one of the best starts of his career in his 10th career appearance. Bruni gave up no runs in a career-high six innings, striking out three and walking four.
With the score 5-2 in favor of Ohio State going into the bottom of the eighth inning, Grand Canyon mounted a three-run rally after sophomore outfielder Maxwell Andeel homered and then Bush roped a game-tying double into right field.
Antelopes redshirt sophomore infielder Eli Paton tried to score the go-ahead run but was thrown out by freshman shortstop Henry Kaczmar.
After four pitching changes in the seventh inning for the Buckeyes, Gehring came out two frames later to hold Grand Canyon in the ninth.
After Antelopes junior utilityman Tyler Wilson walked, Gregory, a graduate transfer from Arkansas, launched a walk-off home run to right field, his second as an Antelope.
Redshirt sophomore right-hander Carson Ohl earned the victory for Grand Canyon, with Gehring picking up the loss.
Game four
Heading into Sunday after losing the first three games of the weekend by a total of five runs, the Buckeyes answered with an 8-2 win over Gonzaga.
Ohio State jumped out to an early lead thanks to Ernst hitting a solo home run off Bulldogs starter graduate right-hander Ty Buckner for his team-leading second blast of the season.
The Buckeyes ended Buckner’s outing with a three-run fourth inning. Redshirt junior designated hitter Caden Kaiser drove in his first run of the year on a ground out before Kaczmar extended the lead with a two-run double, putting him at six runs batted in on the year.
With Bulldogs sophomore right-hander Kai Francis on the mound in the top of the seventh inning, the Buckeyes loaded the bases and quickly cashed in.
Pettorini and Okuley both walked in a run, while Erwin drove in his team-leading eighth run on a single to score junior outfielder Hank Thomas.
Two at-bats after Erwin, Kaiser drove in his second run of the game on a sacrifice fly that scored Pettorini.
Sophomore right-hander George Eisenhardt earned his first-career victory as a Buckeye. The Xavier transfer tossed four scoreless innings with two strikeouts and one walk, while Buckner got the loss, giving up four runs on five hits.
Ohio State travels to Frisco, Texas, for the Frisco Classic beginning Friday, taking on 2021 national champion Mississippi State, the University of California-Berkeley and Oklahoma starting with the Bulldogs.
