Ohio State senior infielder Zach Dezenzo (4) 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 match Nebraska’s offense Saturday as the Cornhuskers used 11 hits and two home runs to down the Buckeyes 10-5.
The Buckeyes (8-15, 0-3 Big Ten) cleaned up the defense by committing no errors, but gave up two crucial home runs that saw Nebraska (11-14, 3-2 Big Ten) take the win and the series. The game was blown open in the sixth inning on a grand slam by sophomore infielder Max Anderson, opening up the scoring and keeping the Buckeyes at bay with their bullpen.
“Just some tough plays,” head coach Greg Beals said. “When you’re in a slump that just seems to be the way it’s going for us. But we can’t feel sorry for ourselves. Nobody’s going to feel sorry for us and we can’t. We need to keep doing the work and that’s the way it’s going to get turned around is through the work.”
The game got off to a hot start in the second inning when freshman infielder Core Jackson hit a bunt single for an RBI off of sophomore right-hander Nate Haberthier. Ohio State responded in the bottom of the same inning via RBI’s from senior infielder Colton Bauer and junior outfielder Mitchell Okuley to make it 2-1 Ohio State after two innings.
In the third inning, after a walk by Anderson, senior catcher Griffin Everitt hit a two-run home run off Haberthier to give Nebraska the lead back. But in the bottom half of the same inning, freshman infielder Tyler Pettorini drove in a run off of senior right-hander Koty Frank to tie the game 3-3 after three innings.
Nebraska responded right back in the fourth inning. After junior outfielder Luke Sartori hit an RBI single, sophomore infielder Brice Matthews hit a two-run double off of Haberthier to make it a 6-3 game.
Accordingly, Ohio State answered right back in the fifth inning, getting two runs back on back-to-back RBI doubles by senior infielder Zach Dezenzo and sophomore outfielder Kade Kern to make it a 6-5 game.
“The more at-bats you get the more you grow,” Kern said. “It’s kind of just learning and growing, trying to outsmart the pitchers and keep on working.”
The sixth inning is what ended up defining the game. After redshirt freshman right-hander Tim Baird came in relief for Haberthier, he ran into trouble on two bloop singles and a walk to load the bases. Beals turned to junior right-hander Ethan Hammerberg in order to get out of the jam.
However, after Hammerberg got the second out on a strikeout, Nebraska blew the game open. On a high fastball, Anderson hit a grand slam to the batter’s eye in center field to give Nebraska a 10-5 lead it would never relinquish.
“I hated taking Timmy out, but I felt like it was time for Hammerberg,” Beals said. “I thought it was essentially that fireman time and the game’s on the line. He got the first guy but missed a pitch that led to a grand slam and that flipped the ball game.”
Senior left-handed pitcher Tyler Martin was excellent in 3 2/3 innings of work for the Cornhuskers. He struck out four, gave up no earned-runs and retired the last 10 batters he faced.
Kern said the grand slam seemed to take a big shot out of the team. After only striking out once facing Frank, the Buckeyes struck out six times in the last 4 2/3 innings.
Three scoreless innings were pitched by sophomore right-hander Trent Jones and freshmen left-hander Gavin Bruni and right-handed pitcher Jacob Gehring. However, the Buckeyes were unable to muster any offense against Nebraska’s relievers as they fell by a final score of 10-5.
Ohio State finishes the series at home against Nebraska Sunday at 1 p.m.
