Ohio State Falls 5-3 to USF in 2012 Opener – Ohio State Buckeyes

Friday, February 17

St. Petersburg, Fla.

Ohio State

0-1

USF

1-0

South Florida

Ohio State

Ohio State Falls 5-3 to USF in 2012 Opener – Ohio State Buckeyes

2/17/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

Feb. 17, 2012

Box Score

Box Score

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Ohio State baseball team dropped its 2012 opener against USF, 5-3, Friday in the Big Ten/Big East Challenge in St. Petersburg, Fla.

After a scoreless first two frames, USF took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. A double play erased a leadoff single by Chad Taylor but Alex Mendez followed with a single to right and scored on a three-base error by Brad Hallberg. However, with a runner on third and two down, Ohio State starter Brett McKinney was able to strike out James Ramsay looking to end the threat.

The Buckeyes threatened in the bottom half of the third when Kirby Pellant reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second with two down but Tim Wetzel grounded out to second as the Buckeyes trailed 1-0 after three.

The Bulls then used three walks and a pair of singles to plate three in the top of the fourth. McKinney walked Todd Brazeal and Buddy Putnam to lead off the inning before a Matt Hart single scored Brazeal to make it 2-0. Andrew Longley walked to load the bases with nobody out before McKinney responded by striking out Taylor and inducing a foul pop out by Luis Llerena before Jaron Long came on for his first appearance in a Buckeye uniform. Unfortunately, Long hit Mendez on his first pitch and allowed an RBI single by Daniel Rockhold to make it 4-0 Bulls before the sophomore struck out Ramsay to end the inning.

Ohio State then answered back in a big way in the bottom of the fourth. Ryan Cypret doubled to deep left to lead off the inning, advanced to third on a Josh Dezse single and scored on a line drive single to right by Mike Carroll. David Corna then singled to left to load the bases before Hallberg drove in Dezse with a fielder’s choice. Brad Hutton then reached on a fielding error by Taylor at shortstop as Corna game around to score and cut the USF lead to 4-3. Pellant followed with a hit by pitch to load the bases but Nick Gonzalez came on to strike out Wetzel to end the Ohio State threat.

The Buckeyes threatened again with runners on second and third and one out in the fifth but back-to-back strikeouts by Gonzalez put an end to the Ohio State rally.

USF then added a run in the top of the seventh to make it 5-3 when Brazeal scored on a double play ball after leading off the inning with a double to deep right.

Ohio State put runners on second and third and one out again in the eighth but a groundout to third by Hutton and a strikeout by Pellant left the Buckeyes down 5-3 heading to the ninth.

After Andrew Armstrong and David Fathalikhani combined to pitch a scoreless top of the ninth, Wetzel walked to lead off the bottom of the frame and Carroll’s two-out double put Buckeyes on second and third but Corna struck out looking to end the game against USF closer Ray Delphey.

Cypret and Carroll each finished 2-for-4 for the Buckeyes while Dezse went 3-for-5. Long gave up one earned over four frames while striking out three in relief of McKinney.

Gonzalez earned the win for USF, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings while striking out four. Brazeal finished the day 4-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.

Ohio State takes on Seton Hall at 7 p.m. Saturday at Bright House Field in Clearwater.