Eric Boggs
The No. 7 Ohio State baseball team had an impressive 15-2 win over No. 2 Nebraska on Tuesday in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. The game ended after seven innings due to the run-rule.
The Buckeyes took an early lead and never looked back. In the top of the second inning, Joseph Mershon hit a home run, giving Ohio State a 1-0 lead. Mitchell Okuley then hit a single, followed by Josh Stevenson’s double, which brought Okuley home to make it 2-0.
In the third inning, Matthew Graveline hit a double with two outs. Tyler Pettorini’s single brought Graveline home, increasing the lead to 3-0.
Ohio State exploded in the fourth inning, scoring eight runs to take an 11-0 lead. The inning started with Hunter Rosson’s single, followed by Stevenson’s walk. Nick Giamarusti hit a triple, scoring both runners. Trey Lipsey’s single brought Giamarusti home. Henry Kaczmar then doubled, moving Lipsey to third. Graveline walked to load the bases. Pettorini’s groundout scored Lipsey. Mershon hit a double, scoring two more runs. Okuley’s double brought Mershon home, and Rosson’s single scored Okuley.
Nebraska got on the board with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth, making it 11-1.
In the fifth inning, Ohio State added more runs. Giamarusti was hit by a pitch and stole second base. Lipsey’s single moved Giamarusti to third. Kaczmar walked to load the bases. Bases-loaded walks for Graveline, Mershon, and Okuley made it 14-1. Rosson reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Graveline for a 15-1 lead.
Nebraska scored one more run in the sixth, but Ohio State’s lead was too big. The Buckeyes held Nebraska scoreless in the seventh to secure the 15-2 victory.
Every starter in the Ohio State lineup had at least one hit. Lipsey led the team with three hits. Kaczmar, Mershon, Okuley, and Rosson each had two hits. Mershon led with four RBIs, while Pettorini, Okuley, Rosson, and Giamarusti each drove in two runs.
On the mound, Landon Beidelschies was outstanding. He struck out eight batters and allowed just one run on two hits in five innings. Chase Herrell and Zach Brown each struck out two batters in their one-inning relief appearances.
“The game always starts on the mound. (Landon) Beidelschies did a heck of a job. Right from that first inning, he really set the tone. One hand washes the other sometimes, and when you play good baseball, it’s good baseball. We are just really fortunate. I will always take that starting pitcher throwing that first punch and giving us an opportunity and I thought that that was what Landon did.”
Ohio State Head Coach Bill Mosiello
The Buckeyes will face No. 3 Indiana on Thursday, May 23 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
