Eric Boggs
The sixth-ranked Ohio State wrestling team showcased their resilience and championship potential with a thrilling 20-17 comeback victory over Pittsburgh on Friday night at Fitzgerald Fieldhouse. Trailing 14-0 after the first four matches, the Buckeyes stormed back, winning five of the final six bouts to remain undefeated this season.
The dual began at 174 pounds, where unranked freshman e’Than Birden nearly pulled off a significant upset against No. 17 Luca Augustine of Pitt. Despite carrying a 1-0 lead into the third period and pushing the match to a second overtime, Birden ultimately fell 2-1. Ohio State then suffered another narrow defeat at 184 pounds, as Seth Shumate built an early lead but was edged out 6-5 by No. 11 Reece Heller. At 197 pounds, Pitt’s No. 16 Mac Stout earned an 8-2 decision over Ohio State’s No. 15 Ryder Rogotzke, and the Panthers extended their lead to 14-0 with No. 14 Dayton Pitzer’s dominant 16-1 technical fall over Hogan Swenski at heavyweight.
Facing a daunting deficit, the Buckeyes responded with grit and precision. At 125 pounds, No. 6 Brendan McCrone swung momentum Ohio State’s way, delivering an 8-0 major decision over Matt Marlow. McCrone’s performance, which included a third-period takedown and four nearfall points, set the tone for the comeback.
Ohio State’s surge continued at 133 pounds, where No. 7 Nic Bouzakis earned a commanding 14-4 major decision over Vinnie Santaniello. Bouzakis scored eight of his points in the third period, including two takedowns and an escape. The rally gained even more steam at 141 pounds as reigning national champion and No. 2-ranked Jesse Mendez overpowered No. 21 Anthony Santaniello with a 16-1 technical fall, cutting Pitt’s lead to 14-13.
The Buckeyes took their first lead of the night at 149 pounds, thanks to No. 12 Dylan D’Emilio’s clutch 7-4 decision over Finn Solomon. D’Emilio secured the victory with four critical back points in the third period. The decisive moment of the dual came at 157 pounds, where No. 7 Paddy Gallagher delivered a dominant 13-4 major decision over Dylan Evans. Gallagher’s three takedowns in the first two periods gave him a comfortable lead and clinched the team victory for Ohio State.
Although Pitt’s Jared Keslar managed a 13-11 upset over Ohio State’s No. 8 Sammy Sasso at 165 pounds in the final bout, the Buckeyes’ remarkable rally was enough to secure the dual win. The victory improves Ohio State to 4-0 on the season, building on previous dominant wins over Tennessee-Chattanooga, Edinboro, and Hofstra.
Match Results:
174: No. 17 Luca Augustine (PITT) dec. over e’Than Birden (OSU) TB1 2-1 | PITT 3, OSU 0
184: No. 11 Reece Heller (PITT) dec. over Seth Shumate (OSU) 6-5 | PITT 6, OSU 0
197: No. 16 Mac Stout (PITT) dec. over No. 15 Ryder Rogotzke (OSU) 8-2 | PITT 9, OSU 0
HWT: No. 14 Dayton Pitzer (PITT) tech fall over Hogan Swenski (OSU) 16-1 | PITT 14, OSU 0
125: No. 6 Brendan McCrone (OSU) major dec. over Matt Marlow (PITT) 8-0 | PITT 14, OSU 4
133: No. 7 Nic Bouzakis (OSU) major dec. over Vinnie Santaniello (PITT) 14-4 | PITT 14, OSU 8
141: No. 2 Jesse Mendez (OSU) tech fall over No. 21 Anthony Santaniello (PITT) 16-1 | PITT 14, OSU 13
149: No. 12 Dylan D’Emilio (OSU) dec. over Finn Solomon (PITT) 7-4 | OSU 16, PITT 14
157: No. 7 Paddy Gallagher (OSU) major dec. over Dylan Evans (PITT) 13-4 | OSU 20, PITT 14
165: Jared Keslar (PITT) dec. over No. 8 Sammy Sasso (OSU) 13-11 | OSU 20, PITT 17
Ohio State will head to the 2024 Collegiate Duals in Nashville on December 21, where they will face the University of North Carolina at 3 p.m. CST, Lock Haven University at 5 p.m. CST, and conclude the day with a matchup against Iowa State at 7 p.m. CST. The Buckeyes will aim to build on their momentum as they prepare for tougher competition in the weeks ahead.
