Eric Boggs
Ohio State ensured a triumphant first Big Ten series of the 2025 season, securing a weekend victory over No. 21 Nebraska with an emphatic 12-6 win on Sunday afternoon. The Buckeyes, now 20-6-1 on the season, showcased their offensive prowess early, tallying nine runs within the first three innings. This victory marked Ohio State’s second win in the three-game series, continuing their recent dominance over the Cornhuskers, who now stand at 20-8.
As they have all season, the Buckeyes’ offense was relentless, launching three home runs and accumulating 14 hits. Taylor Cruse led the charge with a 3-for-4 performance, including a home run and three RBIs, while Sami Bewick also drove in three runs. In the circle, Lorin Boutte delivered four solid innings of relief to notch her 10th win of the year.
Ohio State wasted no time, scoring twice in both the first and second innings before exploding with a five-run third frame. Reagan Milliken set the tone with a two-run single in the first, followed by a key RBI single from Jasmyn Burns in the second. The defining moment came when Cruse blasted a three-run homer to give Ohio State a 7-3 lead, with Bewick following up two batters later with a two-run shot to extend the advantage to 9-3. Limon capped the Buckeye home run parade with a sixth-inning blast that scored Morgan Frye.
Nebraska managed to push a run across in the seventh on a wild pitch, but Boutte remained composed, retiring Lauren Camenzind on a fly out to seal the win despite the game ending in a steady rain.
The weekend series demonstrated Ohio State’s offensive depth and consistency. Bewick extended her on-base streak to 24 games, the third-longest in program history over the past 12 years. Burns has now reached base in 18 consecutive contests, batting .542 with 20 RBIs over that span, while also extending her hitting streak to 13 games—the longest by a Buckeye since 2022. The team set the tone in each game, outscoring Nebraska 4-0 in first innings across the weekend.
Hadley Parisien swung the hottest bat of the series, going 7-for-11 (.714 OBP) with three doubles and multiple hits in every game. Ohio State has now secured three consecutive series victories over Nebraska, following previous wins in 2022 and 2023. The Buckeyes’ offensive firepower was on full display, with 30 total runs over the weekend and six double-digit scoring performances in their last nine games, averaging 9.2 runs per game.
Saturday’s contest was a slugfest, with Ohio State prevailing 13-12 in a game that featured a combined 25 runs and eight home runs between the two top offenses in the Big Ten. Facing a 6-2 deficit after Nebraska’s explosive third inning, the Buckeyes responded in kind, plating nine runs in the bottom half. Milliken led the charge with two home runs in the inning, while Bewick added another, and Cruse delivered a three-run double. Trailing 12-11 in the sixth, Ohio State regained the lead on a Cruse sacrifice fly and a clutch two-out RBI single by Parisien. Freshman Layna Gerhard sealed the win with 3.2 innings of relief, striking out the final batter.
Friday’s series opener, played before a sellout crowd at Buckeye Field, saw Ohio State fight to the final out but ultimately fall 9-5. The Buckeyes jumped ahead early with an RBI from Burns, but Nebraska responded with a power surge, hitting multiple home runs to take control. Despite a late rally with the bases loaded in the seventh, Ohio State came up just short. Hadley Parisien shined at the plate, reaching base in all four at-bats with three hits and a walk.
Ohio State’s offensive firepower continues to be a force in the Big Ten. Entering the series, the Buckeyes ranked second in the conference in home runs (48) and slugging percentage, trailing only Nebraska. This weekend, they added to that total with eight more homers, bringing their season tally to 52—an average of two per game.
Up next, the Buckeyes continue their 11-game homestand with a Monday matchup against Green Bay at 4 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed on B1G+ and live stats will be available on OhioStateBuckeyes.com. Green Bay (6-11) comes into the contest after dropping its Horizon League series to Northern Kentucky, and Ohio State will look to build on its momentum as the season progresses.
