Eric Boggs
The Ohio State baseball team delivered a statement performance on Saturday, securing a thrilling doubleheader sweep over No. 10 Oregon at Bill Davis Stadium. The Buckeyes, who entered the day winless in Big Ten play, broke through with a pair of victories—an 11-10 triumph in game one followed by an 8-6 win in game two—marking their first conference wins of the season and the first Big Ten victories under head coach Justin Haire. The Buckeyes have now defeated two ranked opponents this year, with their first marquee win coming against No. 12 NC State.
In the opener, Ohio State overcame multiple deficits in a back-and-forth affair. Oregon stormed ahead with a four-run first inning, only for the Buckeyes to claw back, tying the game at 4-4 in the second inning thanks to a towering two-run homer from Maddix Simpson—the first of his career. The Ducks responded with a three-run blast in the third to reclaim the lead, but Ohio State remained resilient. Timely hitting, including a key RBI single from Lee Ellis in the fourth, kept the Buckeyes within striking distance.
Trailing 10-6 in the seventh, Ohio State capitalized on wild pitches to cut the deficit to two. Then, in the eighth, Trey Lipsey doubled and later scored on an Oregon error, while Matthew Graveline’s clutch two-RBI single gave the Buckeyes the lead for good. Hunter Shaw slammed the door shut in the ninth, retiring the Ducks in order with two strikeouts to seal the dramatic 11-10 victory. Graveline led the offense with three hits, while Simpson and Graveline each drove in two runs. Gavin Kuzniewski provided a strong relief outing with a career-high four strikeouts in 4.2 innings, and Shaw (2-3) earned the win with two scoreless frames.
Game two followed a similar script, with the Buckeyes again displaying grit and timely hitting. Oregon struck first with a solo homer in the second, but Ohio State responded immediately. Reggie Bussey and Sal Mineo set the stage with hits before Simpson delivered a two-run double to put the Buckeyes ahead 3-1. Graveline added an RBI single in the third to extend the lead to three, but Oregon countered with a three-run home run in the fourth, tying the game at 4-4. The Ducks then reclaimed the lead in the sixth after a Buckeye error.
Down 5-4 in the eighth, Ohio State once again rose to the occasion. Bussey ignited the rally with a leadoff single, and after a hit-by-pitch and a walk loaded the bases, Ellis lifted a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Tyler Pettorini then delivered the decisive blow, launching a three-run homer to propel the Buckeyes to an 8-5 advantage. Oregon managed a solo shot in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough as Ohio State closed out the 8-6 win. Pettorini led the way with three RBIs, Simpson added two, and Bussey collected two hits. Blaine Wynk (1-1) earned the win with a stellar relief performance, striking out a career-high seven over 3.1 innings while allowing just one run on two hits.
The Buckeyes’ weekend didn’t start as triumphantly, as they dropped Friday’s series opener in a frustrating 7-0 loss. Oregon set the tone early with an RBI double in the first inning, then used a pair of home runs in the fourth to build a 4-0 lead. Ohio State had chances to respond, putting runners in scoring position in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, but struggled to capitalize. Oregon added another homer in the eighth and a two-run blast in the ninth to complete the shutout.
Despite the loss, Pettorini stood out with two hits, and Sahil Patel provided a bright spot on the mound, striking out a career-high five batters over three innings of relief. Drew Erdmann (0-2) took the loss despite a career-high four strikeouts in his four-inning start.
With momentum on their side, Ohio State looks to build on this breakthrough performance when they return to action at Bill Davis Stadium on Tuesday, April 1, hosting West Virginia at 6:00 p.m.
