Ohio State
Oklahoma State
Ohio State Drops Opener at No. 25 Oklahoma State, 4-2 – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/8/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 8, 2012
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STILLWATER, Okla. – The Ohio State baseball team dropped a 4-2 decision at No. 25 Oklahoma State Tuesday evening at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium. With the loss, the Buckeyes fall to 27-21 on the season while the Cowboys improve to 29-18.
Oklahoma State took the lead in the bottom of the third with a run against Ohio State starter Brett McKinney. A single by Gage Green, a walk by Hunter Bailey and a bunt single by Robbie Rea loaded the bases with one down and an RBI groundout by Jared Womack plated Green for the 1-0 lead.
The Cowboys doubled their lead in the bottom of the fifth when Green was hit by a pitch, stole second, advanced to third on a bunt single by Saulyer Saxon and scored on an RBI fielder’s choice by Bailey.
After allowing a pair of baserunners in both the first and second innings, Oklahoma State starter Randy McCurry settled down to retire 13 of the next 14 Buckeyes until a Brad Hallberg leadoff double in the top of the seventh. After the Hallberg double, Patrick Porter reached on an infield single and David Corna was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out. Kirby Pellant then drove in Hallberg with a sacrifice fly to center and Aaron Gretz singled through the right side to plate Porter and tie the game at 2-2.
Chase Stevens then came on to relieve McCurry and walked Tim Wetzel to load the bases but Ryan Cypret grounded into an inning-ending double play to keep the game tied.
McKinney gave way to Andrew Armstrong in the bottom of the seventh after tossing six strong innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out four.
The Buckeyes threatened again in the top of the eighth against Stevens but a pair of defensive gems by Green in left field kept the game tied. After singles by Josh Dezse and Hallberg put runners on first and second with one down, Green made a diving catch down the left field line to rob Ohio State of at least one run. Corna followed with a single to left but Green came up throwing and cut Dezse down at the plate to end the rally.
The Cowboys then took the lead in the bottom of the frame against Ohio State reliever David Fathalikhani. A single by McCurry and a two-out walk by Green put runners on first and second for Saxon. The Oklahoma State center fielder took a Fathalikhani offering into center where a diving Wetzel was unable to grab the sinking liner and a pair of runs scored to give the Cowboys the 4-2 lead.
Ohio State got the leadoff man on in the top of the ninth when Pellant reached on an infield single against Stevens but the Buckeyes could not move anything across as Oklahoma State came away with the victory.
Hallberg and Porter each had two hits for the Buckeyes and Saxon, Rea and Womack had two-hit nights for the Cowboys.
The Buckeyes and Cowboys complete the brief two-game set at 7:30 p.m. ET Wednesday.
GAME NOTES
– Kirby Pellant has reached base safely in his last 19 games.
– Josh Dezse has reached base safely in 47 of 48 contests this season.
