The Ohio State Baseball team huddles up before the Ohio State-Indiana game on April 3, 2021. Ohio State won 6-0. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
After a third inning where Ohio State got out to an early 4-0 lead, it seemed like the Buckeyes would be able to end their losing streak and get back on the winning side of things.
However, Ohio State (3-5) was unable to stop the bleeding as it lost to in-state rival Cincinnati (3-3) 5-4 thanks to a walkoff home run by redshirt sophomore catcher Cam Scheler Wednesday.
The game was dictated by the long ball, as four home runs were hit between the two teams. The Buckeyes got out to an early lead but were unable to hold on as the Bearcats slowly chipped away and came back and won.
The early innings were commanded by pitching, as neither team scored in the first two innings. In the third, the Buckeyes opened up the scoring off of sophomore pitcher Alex Shea, as senior infielder Zach Dezenzo scored fellow senior infielder Marcus Ernst on a two-run home run.
Ohio State added two more runs when senior infielder Colton Bauer scored on an error and freshman outfielder Trey Lipsey added another on a sacrifice fly to bring the lead to 4-0.
The Buckeyes were unable to sustain that lead for long, however. Redshirt junior outfielder Paul Komistek brought home the first run for the Bearcats on an error. One batter later, fellow redshirt junior outfielder Griffin Merritt cut the lead to one on his own two run home run off of graduate Aaron Funk, all the runs unearned.
The game remained 4-3 for most of the middle innings. From the fourth through seventh innings, redshirt freshman Tim Baird and junior Nate Karaffa pitched four scoreless frames for Ohio State.
In the bottom of the eighth, Komistek continued his tremendous start to the season with a solo home run off junior right-hander Ethan Hammerberg. Hammerberg ended the inning with three strikeouts, but the game was tied 4-4 going into the ninth inning.
The Buckeyes had an opportunity to take the lead in the ninth when Ernst singled for his second hit of the game, but were unable to capitalize — leaving Ernst on base.
In the bottom half of the ninth with Hammerberg still on the mound, the Bearcats won on a walk-off solo home run by Scheler 5-4.
With this loss, the Buckeyes’ losing streak climbs to five games. They hope to right the ship when they travel to Fayetteville, North Carolina, Friday to take on Campbell in the Armed Forces Invitational.
