Four Long Balls Help Lift Buckeyes Over Wildcats

EVANSTON, Ill. – The Ohio State baseball team (12-34, 4-22 Big Ten) used four long balls to defeat Northwestern (22-25, 11-15 Big Ten), 11-6, on Saturday and even the season series at one game apiece.
 
Game Recap

• Trey Lipsey led off with a single to shortstop in the top of the first inning, followed by a walk from Matthew Graveline. With one out, Mason Eckelman hit a no doubter 374 feet over the right field wall to give the Buckeyes the early lead, 3-0. Ryan Miller stepped up to the dish next, and he also sent one 374 feet over the wall in right field to extend the Ohio State lead, 4-0.
• The Wildcats scored on a Buckeye error in the bottom of the first, but Ohio State remained ahead, 3-1.
• An infield bunt single from Sal Mineo led off the second inning. Lipsey then doubled down the right field line to advance Mineo to third. A single from Graveline sent Mineo home and put the Buckeyes back ahead by four, 5-1.
• The Wildcats got three across in the bottom of third off an RBI single, an RBI double and a sac fly to cut the Buckeye lead to one, 5-4.
• Both teams remained scoreless until the top of the sixth. Freshman Maddix Simpson led off with a 399-foot home run. Back-to-back singles from Nick Giamarusti and Will Carpenter put two runners on, and they both advanced on a sac bunt from Mineo. Graveline came up big, homering 384 feet over the left center wall to drive in three runs and put the Buckeyes ahead of the Wildcats, 9-4.
• With two outs in the top of the seventh, Simpson and Giamarusti drew back-to-back walks. Carpenter was next up at the plate and he doubled down the left field line to send both runners home and give the Buckeyes an 11-4 lead over Northwestern.
• Northwestern scored two in the bottom of the seventh frame to come within five runs of the Buckeyes, 11-6.
• Hunter Shaw and the Buckeyes held the Wildcats scoreless in the eighth and ninth to cement the 11-6 victory and their first road win of the season.

Buckeyes by the Numbers

• Lipsey, Graveline, Miller and Carpenter led the Buckeyes in hits with two each.
• Graveline had a team-high four RBIs. Miller batted in three runs.
• Gavin Kuzniewski fanned four, tying his career-high, and allowed four runs on three hits in a 4.1-inning no-decision.
• Hunter Shaw (3-4) earned the win. He struck out one and gave up just one hit in 2.0 innings to close out the game.

Up Next

• The Buckeyes and Wildcats wrap up their series on Sunday, May 11 at 1:00 p.m. CT/2:00 p.m. ET.

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