Junior outfielder Nick Giamarusti (7) at bat for Ohio State. The Buckeyes came back to defeat Cal State Fullerton 13-10 Wednesday. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics
Ohio State finished up its West Coast trip by erasing a six-run deficit, beating Cal State Fullerton (7-9, 0-0 Big West) 13-8 Wednesday at Goodwin Field in Fullerton, California.
The Buckeyes (8-7, 0-0 Big Ten) started off the game strong in the top of the first inning off sophomore shortstop Henry Kaczmar’s 14th consecutive game with a hit.
Sophomore catcher Matthew Graveline singled to right field, advancing Kaczmar to third. Ohio State scored first with junior designated hitter Tyler Pettorini smacking a sacrifice fly, scoring Kaczmar and making the score 1-0.
Sophomore pitcher Hunter Shaw’s first start for the Buckeyes was ruined by the Titans in the bottom of the first with seven straight runs by means of five hits and two errors.
Ohio State decreased the deficit to five after Kaczmar drew a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to send graduate second baseman Joseph Mershon home in the top of the second inning, putting the score at 7-2.
The Titans tacked on one more run in the bottom of the sixth to increase their lead back to six at 8-2.
Ohio State battled back in the third inning. Freshman infielder Zach Fjelstad, playing in front of his hometown crowd, doubled to right field, plating two runs to make the score 8-4.
Transfer center fielder Josh Stevenson hit a sacrifice fly and Fjelstad scored on a passed ball to cut the Titan lead down to two, 8-6.
In the top of the fourth, Kaczmar led off with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Graduate outfielder Mitchell Okuley came up to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly to score Kaczmar, shrinking the Titans once demanding six-run lead to just one, 8-7.
Both teams went scoreless until the top of the sixth inning when Ohio State grabbed control of the game. Okuley smacked a bases-clearing double into right center and scored on a Titan error, giving the Buckeyes their second lead of the game, 11-8.
The Buckeyes proceeded to add some insurance runs with two outs in the top of the ninth with RBI singles from Pettorini and Okuley, extending the Buckeyes lead to five, 13-8.
Cal State Fullerton rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning before captain and closer Justin Eckhardt fanned the final two hitters, securing a 13-8 victory for the Buckeyes.
The Buckeye bullpen combined for two earned runs and nine strikeouts in 8.2 innings pitched. Freshman reliever Jake Michalak struck out a career-high three batters and graduate pitcher Jacob Morin earned his first victory as a Buckeye.
Three Buckeyes knocked three hits each and Okuley batted in a career-high five runs. Graveline and Pettorini combined for four stolen bases, continuing Ohio State’s speedy game plan.
The Buckeyes accumulated four errors in the game, putting them at the top of the Big Ten with 25 errors in 15 games, something that head coach Bill Mosiello said is uncharacteristic of his team.
The Buckeyes finish their 18-game stretch away from Columbus with a series against the West Virginia Mountaineers Friday through Sunday. The first game begins at 6:30 p.m. on Friday.
