Buckeyes Rout Lipscomb, 14-3, in Home Opener Friday Night

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State baseball team opened the home schedule on a strong note, powering a season-high 18 hits in a 14-3 win over Lipscomb on a chilly and windy Friday night at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium. The offensive surge was the most runs scored by a Buckeye squad in a home opener in 12 years. Freshman third baseman Zach Dezenzo had a memorable first game at Bill Davis Stadium, going 2-for-4 with two homers and three RBI, while freshman right-hander Garrett Burhenn improved to 3-1. With the win, the Buckeyes improve to 8-9 overall, while the Bisons drop to 9-7 in 2019.

QUOTE FROM COACH
“This last week we didn’t play bad but we didn’t win games,” head coach Greg Beals said. “It was really critical for us to be back home. That’s what I told our guys in South Carolina. We are going home so let’s flip the switch. Tonight is what we are capable of and I thought we gave their starter some really tough at-bats. Their starter has had a really good career and we made him work out there. Nate Romans had a big 10-pitch at-bat that ended in a big hit for us. Brady Cherry looked good again. Zach Dezenzo hits a home run in his first at-bat at home and had another one, so good for him, he maximized his opportunity today

Most runs scored in a home opener in 12 years 💪

It's good to be home.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/Guh1EtIFoX

— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) March 16, 2019

GOOD START AT THE DISH
Ohio State scored six times on seven hits to take 4-0 lead after three vs. Lipscomb right-handed starter Chris Kachmar. Conner Pohl drove in the first run of the game with a two-out single in the bottom of the first. Dezenzo launched an opposite field homer in his first at-bat at Bill Davis Stadium in the bottom of the second. Nate Romans worked a 10-pitch at-bat in the bottom of the third with the bases loaded before hitting a two-out, two-run single to right center for a 4-0 advantage. In the fourth, a single and error pushed Ridge Winand across the dish and a RBI single by Canzone added the sixth run of the ball game.

BISONS GET ON THE BOARD
Shortstop Brian Moore hit a two-out solo homer over the wall in left to score the first run for Lipscomb in the top of the fifth. It was the first hit allowed by Burhenn.

SEVEN SPOT IN THE FIFTH
The Buckeyes batted around in the fifth and scored six times against the Lipscomb bullpen. Dezenzo had the big hit in the inning with his second homer of the game with a two-run shot vs. reliever Alex Dorso. Winand tripled and West doubled for an 8-1 game. Cherry then doubled before Pohl knocked a two-run single. Romans singled through the left side to push pinch-runner Scottie Seymour around. Ohio State scored a final run in the sixth on a wild pitch.

STARTER TALK
Burhenn, from Indianapolis, Ind., claimed his first win at Bill Davis Stadium, working six innings and limited the Lipscomb bats to three runs, one earned, on two hits with five strikeouts and no walks.

BULLPEN TALK
Ohio State right-handed reliever Thomas Waning relieved Burhenn to start the seventh and struck out one in one inning of work. Right-handed reliever Joe Gahm threw a scoreless eighth with two strikeouts. Brady Cherry made his career appearance on the mound in the ninth and was electric, striking out two hitters to end the game.

UP NEXT
Ohio State and Lipscomb meet at 3 p.m. Saturday at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium. The game will be streamed on BTN Plus ($).

GAME NOTES

Tonight was the first meeting between Ohio State and Lipscomb.
The Buckeyes improve to 8-1 in home openers under head coach Greg Beals.
Ohio State scored the most runs in a home opener since 2007 when the Buckeyes defeated Toledo, 18-5, March 28 in Columbus.
Ohio State is 8-4 when scoring first this year.
Seven different starters recorded multi-hit games tonight. Cherry had his team-best fifth three-hit game.
Dezenzo hit his second homer of the season and first career at Bill Davis Stadium. He collected his first multi-home run game in the fourth and became the first Buckeye to hit two homers in a games since Nate Romans hit two long balls at Coastal Carolina March 10, 2018.
West swiped two steals and Romans had one.
The seven-run inning was the second most runs scored in an inning by the Buckeye bats this year.
Romans faced 19 pitches in two at-bats vs. Kachmar tonight.
Todys walked a season-high three times.
Winand had a career-high three runs scored.
Cherry made his first appearance on the mound tonight.
Hit streaks extended: Carpenter (7), Canzone (6), Pohl (5), Ernst (4), Winand (4) and Dezenzo (3).
Reached base streaks extended: Canzone (13), Carpenter (7), Pohl (5), Winand (5), Romans (5), Cherry (4), Ernst (4) and Dezenzo (3).
Multi-hit games: Canzone (6), Chery (6), West (6), Pohl (4), Dezenzo (3), Romans (3) and Winand (2).
Multi-RBI games: Pohl (4), Dezenzo (3) and Romans (2).

RANDOM NOTES FROM AROUND THE BALLPARK

Opening Day at Bill Davis Stadium. The boys were back home. Everyone got to the park early since it is spring break on campus. Nothing like walking in the clubhouse and seeing those fresh white threads hanging ready for you at your locker. Not only that, but the team unveiled brand-new cleats for the home opener. Back during the Meet The Team Night, captain Dominic Canzone surprised everyone when he brought them out of a bag during his speech at the podium, asking the coaches in front of the supporters if the boys could rock them this year. Well, they listened, and man they looked sick. White cleats with scarlet and black accents. See below for a look at “these babies.”
Radio announcer Matt Andrews was on the call for BTN Plus today along with Neil Sika. What a duo (sorry Bob Spears). It was the first time the two called an Ohio State baseball game together since the two did student radio during the 2002 campaign. They haven’t aged a bit by the way.
Long inning in the sixth due to the Buckeye bats. Not a bad problem to have right? Unless you’re the team’s pitcher on the mound. In the concourse was starting pitcher Garrett Burhenn staying loose with volunteer assistant Dan DeLucia. Baseball, a game of adaptation for sure.
Dezenzo. Two dingers. First game at Bill Davis. The first celebration all the boys high fived him. But not the second time, he got the silent treatment from his teammates. That’s electric. His dad got one of the home run balls too. That’s cool. Congrats, rookie.
The Ohio State SID’s favorite walk-out song on Opening Day? Nate Romans. Sunflower by Post Malone. Great vibey tune.

Dom asked…

They listened 🙌

🔥 @nikebaseball cleats for #OpeningDay at Bill Davis Stadium #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/vJGIsRLKEd

— Ohio State Baseball (@OhioStateBASE) March 15, 2019