Sweeping the Spartans
Right: Junior left fielder Zach Hurley went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs in Ohio State 6-1 win over Michigan State on Sunday. (File Photo)
The Ohio State baseball team improved to 26-7 on the season after sweeping Michigan State in a three-game series over the weekend.
On Sunday, the Buckeyes were able to bring out the brooms after a 6-1 win over the Spartans, thanks to junior left fielder Zach Hurley, who went 2-for-3 at the plate while knocking in a pair of runs, and junior starting pitcher Eric Best, who lasted five innings and allowed just one run (unearned) on two hits.
Michigan State got on the scoreboard first with a run in the top half of the second after catcher Eric Roof singled up the middle and advanced to second on a Buckeye error. He would later score two batters later when his brother, shortstop Jonathan Roof, fouled out down the the right field line for the sac fly.
The Buckeyes, though, responded in the home half of the same frame as catcher Dan Burkhart led off with a double and first baseman Justin Miller followed with a single to left, putting men on the corners with no out. Burkhart then scored on designated hitter Ryan Dew’s RBI base knock. Two batters later, Dew crossed home on third baseman Corey Rupert’s RBI double with two out to put OSU ahead 2-1.
Ohio State added two more runs in the fifth after shortstop Tyler Engle’s one-out single, who later advanced to second on a balk. Hurley then ripped a base hit up the middle that plated Engle. Now with two outs, Michael Stephens brought Engle home with a base hit to left that made the score 4-1.
The Buckeyes added a run in both the seventh and eighth innings as Burkhart and Hurley each hit sacrifice flies.
In Best’s five innings, he faced 17 batters and retired 15 of them while surrendering the unearned run on two hits. He also struck out two Spartans.
Drew Rucinski came on in relief of Best to start the sixth and allowed just two hits and a base on balls in three full innings of work.
Reliever Jake Hale tossed the ninth frame, retiring all three batters he faced.
On Saturday, Ohio State scored twice in the bottom of the sixth in passed balls to win 5-3.
With two outs, Engle singled before first baseman Matt Streng doubled down the left field line to put runners on at first and third. Both runners then moved 90 feet closer after the first passed ball of the frame by Spartans’ catcher Seth Williams, which scored Engle to put the Buckeyes ahead 4-3. During Hurley’s plate appearance one batter later, Streng came home after another PB.
Starting pitcher Dean Wolosiansky went 6.1 innings for the Buckeyes, allowing three runs on nine hits with one strikeout to improve his record to 7-1 on the season.
Hale faced four batters in the ninth, allowing just one hit to record his seventh save of the year.
On Friday night, OSU starting pitcher Alex Wimmers went the distance, allowing just one run on two hits with 11 strikeouts and two walks in nine innings as the Buckeyes defeated the Spartans 6-1.
Wimmers had a no-hitter working until Eric Roof slapped a double to right field to lead-off the eighth.
Burhhart led the offensive charge by going 2-for-4 at the plate, which included a three-run homer over the right field fence in the seventh inning.
Up next, Ohio State will host Kent State, Wednesday night. First pitch at Bill Davis Stadium is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. ET.
