One day after belting out 19 hits and 11 runs, the Ohio State baseball team picked up right where it left off against Toledo.
With a light drizzle of rain coming down to start the game Wednesday, the Buckeyes (18-10, 2-4) quickly pushed across four runs in the first and never looked back against the Rockets (10-15, 2-4), going on to win 7-2.
Toledo sophomore pitcher Ross Achter was thrown off his game early, giving up two hits, walking three batters and throwing a wild pitch in the opening inning.
With the bases full and no outs, Achter walked sophomore infielder Jacob Bosiokovic to force in the first run for OSU. Sophomore infielder Zach Ratcliff followed with an RBI groundout and two batters later, junior catcher Connor Sabanosh smacked a single to plate two more and put the Rockets in a four-run hole.
Sabanosh has been splitting time at catcher with fellow junior Aaron Gretz throughout the season but he said after the win, he’s been able to stay consistent despite not always playing.
“We both get two or three games a week,” Sabanosh said. “When you get a five-day period off, your timing can be off your first few at-bats. Other than, that I felt fine.”
Achter calmed down after the first, but was still pulled after finishing the second inning.
Meanwhile, Buckeye freshman pitcher Zach Farmer pitched efficiently, tossing four scoreless innings and showing solid command of the ball from the start.
“I thought I did pretty good. Feeling for my pitches, getting in the strike zone finally,” Farmer said after the win. “Limited my walks. It felt real good. It was a good day.”
OSU coach Greg Beals said he didn’t want Farmer playing a long portion of the game so the pitcher could be available for the upcoming weekend series at Nebraska.
“He should be available by Saturday,” Beals said. “That’s why the four innings.”
The Rockets finally got on the board in the fifth off OSU sophomore reliever Jake Post. With men on second and third, Toledo sophomore outfielder Ryan Callahan hit a single to score both.
The Buckeyes still found themselves up four, though, after RBIs from freshman outfielder Ronnie Dawson and Bosiokovic in the previous inning.
The Rockets only threatened once more in the sixth.
OSU brought in freshman reliever Yianni Pavlopoulos for his first collegiate appearance in the seventh and eighth, and he allowed one hit while striking out two.
The Buckeyes added an insurance run in the eighth from another RBI from Bosiokovic and freshman reliever Travis Lakins retired the Rockets in the ninth to secure the win.
Beals said the midweek games helped the team bounce back after getting swept by Indiana last weekend.
“Obviously they’re very important to our goal of putting ourselves, from an RPI standpoint, worthy of an at-large bid (to the NCAA tournament),” Beals said.
The Buckeyes are next scheduled to take on Nebraska in a three-game weekend series in Lincoln, Neb. First pitch Friday is set for 7:35 p.m.
