Buckeyes Edged in Series Finale at FAU, 2-1 – Ohio State Buckeyes

Sunday, February 22

Boca Raton, FL

Ohio State

4-2

Florida Atlantic

6-1

Ohio State

Florida Atlantic

Buckeyes Edged in Series Finale at FAU, 2-1 – Ohio State Buckeyes

2/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

Feb. 22, 2015

Box Score

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• Box Score BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Ohio State baseball team dropped a 2-1 contest in the series finale at FAU Sunday afternoon at FAU Baseball Stadium in Boca Raton, Fla. With the loss, the Buckeyes fall to 4-2, while the Owls claim the series victory and improve to 6-1 in 2015.
Down 2-0, the Buckeyes rallied to put the tying run 90 feet away after Craig Nennig sent a two-out RBI single to left center to make it 2-1. However, relief pitcher Bo Logan claimed a strikeout to pick up the save and end the rally for the Scarlet and Gray. Ohio State fought hard in the late innings of contest, collecting all seven hits from the fifth inning and beyond but fell short vs. the Owls.
Both starting pitchers were efficient on the hill to begin game three on a warm and sunny afternoon in South Florida. Ohio State senior left-hander Ryan Riga sent down the first seven FAU batters he faced before CJ Chatham slapped a single up the middle with one out in the bottom of the third. On the home side, FAU starter senior right-hander Robbie Coursel kept the Buckeyes hitless through the first four innings.
Riga got out of a first and third jam in bottom of the fourth when he made Roman Collins roll over for a groundout to first base to keep it scoreless.
Ohio State had another chance in the fifth to plate some runs with runners on the corners but left-handed pitcher Devon Carr claimed a called strike three to end the inning. Starter Robbie Coursel gave up just one hit with three walks in 4.2 scoreless innings for the Owls for the no-decision. Carr pitched one scoreless inning and was replaced with two outs in the top of the sixth by right-hander Seth McGarry.
The Owls scored the first run of the game in the bottom half of the sixth when Brett Lashley sent a 1-1 pitch to left center vs. Riga for an RBI single. Riga limited the home squad to one run after a strikeout and fly out ended the sixth.
In the seventh, the Buckeyes failed to tie the contest after pinch runner Tre’ Gantt was thrown out at home plate to end the frame. Kuhn singled to start it off, but was picked off first base. Aaron Gretz doubled to left and was then replaced by Gantt at second base.

Redshirt freshman Kyle Michalik replaced Riga in the bottom of the seventh in his second appearance. The Owls were able to extend the lead to 2-0 after an error on the flip to first base for the final out of the inning. Two FAU batters were hit by a pitch and a sac bunt sent up the scoring play. Connor Sabanosh threw out an attempted steal at second base to keep it a two-run deficit.
Despite limiting the FAU bats to one run on five hits, Riga falls to 1-1 on the year. He threw six innings and struck out six with one walk. Right-handed pitcher Trace Dempsey made his 78th career appearance and allowed no runs with a strikeout.
UP NEXT Ohio State continues its road schedule with a three-game series at UAB Feb. 27-March 1 in Birmingham, Ala.
SOME NOTES: • Former Ohio State Executive Associate Athletics Director for External Relations Pat Chun, who is now Vice President and Director of Athletics at FAU, met with the Buckeyes over the weekend during their series with the Owls. He was the Ohio State baseball SID in the late 1990’s and worked in multiple offices during his 15 years with the Ohio State Department of Athletics at his alma mater. • Riga put down seven-consecutive FAU batters to begin the game with three strikeouts. • Kuhn has reached base safely in all six games this year. He also collected his first multi-hit game of 2015.