Ohio State then-junior outfielder Mitchell Okuley (24) swings at a pitch during the Buckeyes’ game against Michigan State at Bill Davis Stadium April 9, 2022. Ohio State won 13-5. Credit: Casey Smith | Lantern TV Sports Producer
Senior outfielder Mitchell Okuley has not skipped a beat while enjoying a midseason surge at the plate.
From March 17 against Dayton to April 22 against Penn State, Okuley reached base in 19 of 20 games, and he did so by taking more walks throughout his fourth season with the Buckeyes. The senior has 29 walks this season, five more than his junior year.
“Coming to practice every day, coming to every game just ready to go and get better,” Okuley said. “I just had to stick with it and eventually it’ll come and obviously it’ll show.”
The senior started the season off on a low note and went hitless in seven of the first 11 games. The expectations Okuley put on himself seemed distant.
“I had a lot of expectations for myself and starting off the season I got off to a rough start, so I was a little frustrated with myself,” Okuley said.
Midway through the season, Okuley began to turn into the version of himself he knew he could be.
Starting against Kent State on April 4, Okuley had 14 RBIs in a 13-game stretch with a .309 batting average in 42 plate appearances. Confidence has been the key to Okuley getting back into form.
“Confidence is really a major factor. When you have a lot of confidence, you think there is nothing that you can do wrong,” Okuley said. “A lot of times it’s just having self-confidence that you can’t do anything wrong, and you play a lot better that way.”
Okuley bloomed into a go-to guy for the Buckeyes.
Okuley came to Ohio State as a freshman in 2019, and played eight games in his first season which was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Okuley had to balance understanding the college game while getting acclimated to his new team and teammates.
“I came in, and I did not know what to expect. I was new to all of it,” Okuley said.
As a senior, Okuley now knows what it is like for his younger teammates.
Okuley has gotten 30 hits in every season since his freshman campaign. He currently has a .223 batting average, though, he has more than made up for it in his on-base percentage.
Head coach Bill Mosiello said Okuley “brings value to the deal” in terms of finding ways to get on base. Okuley holds a .386 on-base percentage and has a .371 mark for his career.
Okuley said he wants to try and make it a good experience just like he did.
“When I was younger, there wasn’t much leadership, it was just looking up to the older guys to see how things are done,” Okuley said. “I’m really just trying to make it a good experience for the rest of my teammates and the younger guys.”
Ohio State looks to focus on winning as many games as possible. After losing three straight against Penn State, the Buckeyes fell to last in the Big Ten Conference.
“The message is the same. It’s always to continue to work and try to get better and try to develop and the mindset never really changes,” Mosiello said. “You try to have your blinders on and just try to think of solving some things today.”
Okuley hopes to help the Buckeyes win as many games left as possible with the end of the season approaching.
“Being able to help my team in any way possible is really the big thing,” Okuley said. “Just coming in every day hopefully we can win as many of these games as we can towards the end of the season and I’m willing to do anything it takes to do that.”
