Senior outfielder Trey Lipsey (2) hits helmets with junior catcher Matthew Graveline (9) during the Buckeyes (10-27) 11-5 win over Akron (13-27) Tuesday at Bill Davis Stadium. Credit: Ohio State Athletics
The Buckeyes are back in the win column.
After suffering a brutal three-game weekend series beatdown at the hands of Michigan State, Ohio State bounced back to beat Akron 11-5 Tuesday at Bill Davis Stadium, picking up just its second win of April.
In a season where wins have been hard to come by, Buckeyes head coach Justin Haire isn’t taking any of them for granted.
“For us to jump out there and get a Tuesday night win — anytime we get a chance to win is a great day,” Haire said.
The Buckeyes used four first-inning hits to jump out to a 3-0 lead — an advantage they never relinquished.
After a quick inning from pitcher Douglas Bauer, catcher Matthew Graveline crushed a two-out, two-run homer to left field to stretch the lead to five. Three straight walks and a hit-by-pitch brought in another run to end the second.
Bauer, making his first career start, stepped in at the last minute due to injuries and delivered a strong outing. The junior allowed just one run across four innings while striking out three batters.
“[It] was a last-minute thing and I tried to make the best routine I could,” Bauer said. “I asked some of the starters like ‘hey, what do they do,’ and I gave it my best and it went alright. So I’ll take it.”
After Akron added a run in the fourth, the Buckeyes answered back in the fifth. Right fielder Trey Lipsey blasted a towering three-run homer — punctuated by an emphatic bat flip — to make it 9-1.
But as has been the case all season, it didn’t come easily. Akron plated two runs in the seventh inning before an out was recorded. Charlie Giese came in to relieve Luke Carrel and allowed one more run before ending the inning at 9-4.
The eighth brought more trouble as Akron loaded the bases with no outs, threatening a major collapse. But the Buckeyes escaped with minimal damage — just one run — and ended the frame with a diving grab by left fielder Sal Mineo.
Ohio State added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth, helped by an error from centerfielder Evan Bottone, before pitcher Zak Sigman closed out the game.
Despite the team’s struggles, Haire views the win as a chance to shift momentum.
“Every day is a new day and a new opportunity,” Haire said. “It hasn’t been our best month, best year, or whatever, but today we were good enough to win — and we’ll get another chance tomorrow.”
Ohio State (10-27, 2-6 Big Ten) hosts Toledo (16-23, 10-11 MAC) at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Bill Davis Stadium.
