Eric Boggs
The Ohio State Buckeyes baseball team continued its winning streak in dominant fashion, securing a 13-7 victory over Eastern Michigan at Bill Davis Stadium on Tuesday. The Buckeyes (5-9) put on an offensive clinic, racking up a season-high 16 hits and overwhelming the Eagles (7-7) from the outset.
Ohio State wasted no time asserting control in the first inning. Trey Lipsey got things rolling with a leadoff double to right center before advancing to third on a groundout. With one swing of the bat, Henry Pettorini electrified the home crowd, launching a towering 400-foot home run to right center, giving the Buckeyes an early 2-0 lead. The offensive momentum continued as Matthew Graveline and Mason Eckelman connected on back-to-back singles. Nick Giamarusti reached on a fielder’s choice, setting up a perfectly executed double steal that saw Graveline swipe home, pushing the Buckeyes ahead 3-0.
The onslaught continued in the second inning. With two outs, Lipsey earned a walk and was promptly followed by a Lee Ellis single. Pettorini struck again, ripping a double down the left field line to plate both runners. Graveline added an RBI single, making it 6-0 Ohio State. The Buckeyes loaded the bases, and Will Carpenter capitalized, driving in two more runs with a single to cap off an eight-run explosion.
Eastern Michigan managed to scratch across two runs in the third, but Ohio State answered immediately. Reggie Bussey led off with a single, then stole second. Lipsey followed with a single and took second himself, putting two in scoring position. Ellis came through with a sacrifice fly, and Lipsey took advantage of a wild pitch to score, pushing the Buckeyes’ lead to 10-2.
The Eagles showed some fight, adding two more runs in the fourth to cut the deficit to 10-4, but Ohio State remained in control. The Buckeyes tacked on another in the bottom half when Carpenter and Maddix Simpson executed a double steal, setting the table for a bases-loaded walk drawn by Ellis, making it 11-4. Another bases-loaded free pass in the fifth extended the lead to 12-4.
Eastern Michigan threatened in the sixth with a three-run burst, closing the gap to 12-7, but the Buckeyes refused to let the game slip away. In the eighth, a Graveline sacrifice fly brought home Ellis for an insurance run, sealing the deal at 13-7.
On the mound, Gavin Kuzniewski (2-1) made his first collegiate start and delivered a solid performance, allowing just two earned runs on three hits over three innings to earn the win. The bullpen held steady, and Hunter Shaw shut the door in dominant fashion, striking out three of the four batters he faced in the ninth to lock up the victory.
Pettorini was the star at the plate, matching his career-high with four hits and leading the team with four RBIs. Lipsey, Ellis, Graveline, Eckelman, Carpenter, and Bussey each recorded multi-hit games, highlighting the depth of the Buckeyes’ lineup. Carpenter also set a career-high with two stolen bases, showcasing Ohio State’s aggressive approach on the basepaths.
With three straight wins under their belt, the Buckeyes carry momentum into Big Ten play as they travel to Indiana for a crucial conference-opening series from March 14-16. Ohio State appears to be finding its rhythm at the right time, and fans can only hope the team continues this offensive surge as the competition intensifies.
