Buckeyes Defeat Minnesota for First B1G Victory

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Head coach Bill Mosiello and the Buckeyes (13-12, 1-4 Big Ten) earned their first Big Ten win of the season, defeating Minnesota (6-20, 1-1 Big Ten), 6-2, on Saturday afternoon.

Game Recap

• Ohio State struck first, taking the lead in the bottom of the second inning. Nick Erwin doubled to right field to pick up the first hit of the game for the Buckeyes. An RBI double from Hank Thomas scored Erwin to put OSU on the board. Henry Kaczmar followed that up with an RBI double of his own to send Thomas home to put the Buckeyes ahead early, 2-0.

BOTTOM 2⃣ | An RBI double from @Thehankthomas gives Ohio State a 1-0 lead‼️#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/DOixfPZmBl

— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) April 1, 2023

• An RBI single from the Golden Gophers in the top of the third cut Ohio State’s lead in half, 2-1, and an RBI double in the top of the fourth tied the score, 2-2.
• The Buckeyes, however, quickly got back ahead. In the bottom of the fourth, Cole Andrews was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Caden Kaiser and Erwin were both walked to load the bases. A sac fly from Thomas scored Andrews to put Ohio State ahead, 3-2. Kaiser scored on an RBI groundout from Trey Lipsey to put the Buckeyes back in the lead by two, 4-2.
• Andrews doubled twice; once in the fifth and once in the seventh.
• In the bottom of the eighth, with one out, Thomas reached base on a Minnesota error. Kaczmar then stepped up to the plate, blasting his first career homerun out of the park to extend Ohio State’s lead, 6-2.

BOTTOM 8⃣ | SEE YA BALL 👋 A two-run homerun from @HenryKaczmar extends the Ohio State lead, 6-2‼️#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/KnlCt7l0D4

— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) April 1, 2023

• The Buckeyes held the Golden Gophers off in the ninth to earn the 6-2 victory and even the season series at one game apiece.

Buckeyes by the Numbers

• Gavin Bruni (1-0) was electric on the mound, striking out a career-high 11 batters in 6.0 innings pitched to earn his first collegiate victory. Bruni allowed two runs on four hits.

TOP 6⃣ | 💲💲💲#GoBucks | @gavinbruni10 pic.twitter.com/4b98eJXdqe

— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) April 1, 2023

• Jonah Jenkins tossed 3.0 scoreless innings in relief. He fanned a season-high six and gave up just two hits.

TOP 8⃣ | 🥵🥵🥵#GoBucks | @jenkinsbaseball pic.twitter.com/ySapWgz5Eh

— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) April 1, 2023

• Kaczmar led the Buckeyes at the plate with a career-high three hits. Andrews added two hits.
• Kaczmar also led the team in RBIs with three, which is his career-best. Thomas batted in two runs.

Up Next

• The rubber match between the Buckeyes and the Golden Gophers is set for Sunday, April 2 at 1:00 p.m.

#GoBucks