Ohio State
2-0
Saint Louis
0-3
Ohio State Claims Second Comeback Win at Snowbird Classic – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 14, 2015
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PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – For the second-consecutive day, the Ohio State baseball team came from behind to claim a victory at the Snowbird Classic. The Buckeyes (2-0) scored two runs in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively, against Saint Louis to defeat the Billikens, 6-5, Saturday afternoon at North Charlotte Regional Park in Port Charlotte, Fla.
“We kept playing today and we were able to fight back after their senior pitcher did a really good job against us early on,” head coach Greg Beals said. “We really improved our at-bats when we got into their bullpen. I really was pleased with the bottom of our lineup. Bosiokovic, Ratcliff and Nennig had big hits for us today. This team has some grit and I think we are never really out of a ball game. Our motto is ‘Everyday’ and we need to come back out here tomorrow and continue to work as a unit and go for the weekend sweep.”
Timely hitting, defense and a strong bullpen performance were the keys in the win. Junior shortstop Craig Nennig collected the eventual gamewinning hit when he connected on a two-out, two-run single to left center in the bottom of the eighth inning vs. SLU reliever Trey Faulconer to put the team ahead, 6-5, as junior first baseman Jacob Bosiokovic scored the team’s sixth and final run.
In his first appearance in the Scarlet and Gray, junior left-handed pitcher John Havird earned his first career win, throwing 3.1 scoreless innings in relief with three hits and five strikeouts, while senior closer Trace Dempsey picked up his first save of the year. Dempsey is now just three saves shy of the OSU all-time saves record, picking up his 27th of his OSU career.
Sophomore center fielder Troy Montgomery ended the game with a diving catch in right center with the tying run on base. At the plate, Montgomery went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Dawson and Nennig were each 2-for-4 with two RBI. Junior Zach Ratcliff had also had a solid day at the plate, collecting two doubles.
The Billikens struck first in the top of the second following an OSU throwing error with two down vs. starting pitcher Travis Lakins. Michael Bozarth crossed the plate after the Buckeyes could not convert the final out of the frame on a groundball from the left side.
Lakins had a no-decision in his third career start, throwing 4.2 innings, allowing nine hits, five runs, four earned runs with a strikeout. SLU starting pitcher Clay Smith also had a no-decision in 6.2 innings of work with six hits, three runs and five strikeouts.
Ohio State evened the tides two frames later against Smith when Montgomery singled to shallow right field with runners on the corners, scoring Ratcliff who doubled to right center. Nennig also singled in the inning, but was thrown out on force play at second base on Montgomery’s bloop-single.
After both teams left two runners on in the fourth inning, the Billikens crossed the plate four times in the top of the fifth. Saint Louis notched a pair of RBI singles before drawing a walk to load the bases and end Lakins’ afternoon on the mound. Havird came into the contest for his first appearance with the Scarlet and Gray and gave up a two-run single to right field by Bozarth to extend the lead to 5-1. Havird ended the SLU momentum with his first strikeout as a Buckeye.
Ohio State left two more runners in the bottom of the fifth. Ratcliff was hit by a pitch, while Montgomery collected his second single of the day through the right side. However, Smith got out of the jam when he induced a fly out to deep left field.
Dawson produced a run for the Scarlet and Gray in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to three runs. He led off the inning with a single to right field and ended up on third base due to a poor throw by the SLU centerfielder. Junior second baseman Nick Sergakis pushed him around with an RBI groundout to make it 5-2 after six innings.
Down 5-2, the Buckeyes cut their deficit to a one-run game when Dawson slapped a two-out, two-run single to center field vs. SLU reliever Brett Shimanovsky to score Ratcliff and Montgomery, respectively. Havird was strong in his final two innings as the OSU junior left three on base and struck out three batters.
The Buckeyes will now look to finish off the Classic with a sweep as the team takes on Pittsburgh at 11 a.m. ET at North Charlotte Regional Park.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Havird, John (1-0)
L: FAULCONER (0-1)
S: Dempsey, Trace (1)
Batting:
RBI: VIGLIAROLO 1 ; HENSON 1 ; BOZARTH 2
Base Running:
RUNS: LEIMKUEHLER 1 ; VIGLIAROLO 1 ; HENSON 1 ; BOZARTH 1 ; KING 1
SB: BOZARTH 1
Batting:
2B: Sergakis, Nick 1 ; Ratcliff, Zach 2
RBI: Montgomery, Troy 1 ; Dawson, Ronnie 2 ; Sergakis, Nick 1 ; Nennig, Craig 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Montgomery, Troy 1 ; Dawson, Ronnie 1 ; Sergakis, Nick 1 ; Bosiokovic, Jacob 1 ; Ratcliff, Zach 2
SB: Bosiokovic, Jacob 1
CS: Porter, Pat 1
HBP: Kuhn, Troy 2 ; Porter, Pat 1 ; Ratcliff, Zach 1
PO: Montgomery, Troy 1
