Senior infielder Ryan Miller (12) stands in the ready position during Ohio State’s (8-20, 2-10 Big Ten) 10-9 loss to USC (20-11, 9-6 Big Ten) Sunday in Irvine, California. Credit: Ohio State Athletics
Ohio State made the cross-country trip to California, hoping for its first Big Ten win on the road.
Once again, the Buckeyes will return home winless.
For the third time in four Big Ten series, Ohio State was swept, this time by the USC Trojans over the weekend.
The Buckeyes are now 0-9 on the road in conference play.
Game One
Behind five runs in the first inning, the Trojans outlasted Ohio State in a 5-3 win Friday.
USC quickly loaded the bases in the first inning without recording a hit. Then the Trojans brought in two runs on a walk and a wild pitch. A two-run double and a single afterward extended the lead to five runs.
The Buckeyes cut the deficit to three in the fourth on a two-RBI single by catcher Mason Eckelman.
One inning later, Ohio State cut the deficit to two as designated hitter Nick Giamarusti scored on a wild pitch.
Still, the Buckeyes ran out of gas, leaving two runners on in the sixth before failing to record a baserunner in the final three innings of the game, falling 5-3.
Game Two
In a back-and-forth affair, USC pulled ahead with a five-run eighth inning to beat Ohio State 12-9 on Saturday.
The Trojans took an early lead with a solo homer in the first before an RBI single in the second put them ahead, 2-0.
The Buckeyes scored the next three runs, as an RBI groundout by second baseman Tyler Pettorini in the third and RBI singles from third baseman Maddix Simpson and right fielder Trey Lipsey in the fourth gave Ohio State a 3-2 lead.
The lead was short-lived as USC quickly tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on another solo homer. Then, the Buckeyes regained the lead on a single by catcher Matthew Graveline in the fifth and a sacrifice fly from shortstop Lee Ellis in the sixth.
The momentum swung back to the Trojans in the seventh when they plated four runs on a two-run homer and a two-run Buckeye error to retake a 7-5 lead.
Ohio State continued to respond.
A massive three-run homer from Lipsey in the eighth gave the Buckeyes the lead back. Ohio State added another run off a wild pitch to make it 9-7.
The Buckeyes needed six outs to escape the game with a win, but USC had other plans.
The Trojans powered ahead in the bottom of the eighth and scored five runs to take a 12-9 lead that they never relinquished.
Game Three
Ohio State was one out away from salvaging the series with a win Sunday. Instead, a two-out homer and a walk-off single by USC completed the sweep.
Behind a walk-off hit from first baseman Dean Carpentier, the Trojans escaped with a 10-9 win over the Buckeyes.
Ohio State took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a homer by Pettorini.
One inning later, USC scored three runs.
In the third, Pettorini went yard again, launching a two-run homer to tie the game at three.
The Buckeyes’ momentum was short-lived, as the Trojans scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to retake the lead.
Ohio State pulled within one in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Lipsey, but three more runs in the bottom of the fifth put USC ahead, 8-4.
But the Buckeyes scored five runs in the sixth to take a 9-8 lead, highlighted by a Simpson double and a towering grand slam by first baseman Ryan Miller.
The homer snapped a 0-for-20 skid for Miller dating back to March 23 at Iowa.
Fast-forward to the ninth inning, and victory looked all but certain for Ohio State.
The Trojans were down to their last out.
A homer tied the game, and then the batters loaded the bases.
Carpentier came up and made the most of his opportunity, lining a single into right field to give USC a 10-9 win.
The Buckeyes (8-20, 2-10 Big Ten) return home to Bill Davis Stadium Wednesday to take on the Kent State Golden Flashes (19-11, 10-2 MAC) at 6 p.m. The game will be streamed on Big Ten+.
