Buckeyes Fall, 10-9, in Wild Contest vs. Evansville – Ohio State Buckeyes

Saturday, March 14

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State

8-5

Evansville

7-6

Evansville

Ohio State

Buckeyes Fall, 10-9, in Wild Contest vs. Evansville – Ohio State Buckeyes

3/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 14, 2015

Box Score

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Despite a career-high three hits and four runs scored by sophomore Troy Montgomery, the Ohio State baseball team fell short, 10-9, in a wild opening game against Evansville Saturday afternoon at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium. With the loss, the Buckeyes fall to 8-5 overall, while the Purple Aces improve to 7-6.
The game was tied, 3-3, headed into the seventh inning as both teams went to their bullpen. Evansville then posted six runs, including five unearned, to take a 9-3 lead before the Scarlet and Gray rallied back in the bottom half with five runs on just two hits vs. the Purple Aces. Evansville tacked on a run in the eighth on an error to make it 10-8 before Montgomery sent his first home run of the year over the right field wall to cut the UE lead to 10-9. Ohio State then had the tying run on second base in the bottom of the ninth, but failed to push the runner around to end the contest to snap the team’s four-game win streak.
Montgomery finished the day, going 3-for-4 with a home run, four runs scored, one RBI, one walk and a stolen base. Pat Porter also homered and was 2-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored and walk. The Buckeyes were outhit by the Purple Aces, 14-9.
Ohio State got on the board early vs. starting pitcher Connor Strain, collecting a run on two hits in the bottom of the first. Nick Sergakis sent a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Montgomery who lead-off the inning with a single to left. He advanced to third base after a sac bunt and stolen base.
However, Evansville answered quickly on a solo shot by Jonathan Ramon in the top of the second vs. starting pitcher Tanner Tully. The home run was the first long ball allowed by the OSU pitching staff this year.
The Purple Aces earned their first lead of the day in the top of the third after an RBI groudout by Eric McKibban and an RBI bloop-single by Billy Lipari vs. Tully to make it 3-1. Tully ended the damage with his third strikeout.
After Ohio State left two on base in the bottom half, the Buckeyes were able to tie the contest, 3-3, with a run in both the fifth and sixth innings, respectively. Dawson collected an RBI groundout in the fifth to plate Montgomery to make it 3-2. Pat Porter then blasted a lead-off home run over the wall in right on the first pitch he saw vs. Strain to tie the contest at 3-3.
But the Purple Aces regained the lead in their next at bat, posting four runs vs. the Ohio State bullpen in the top of the seventh. A wild pitch by OSU reliever Michael Horejsei allowed Korbin Williams to score as Evansville regained the lead, 4-3. Jake Post began the inning on the mound for the Scarlet and Gray, but was replaced by Horejsei after a single and OSU throwing error to put runners on the corners. The Purple Aces then collected three straight singles to plate three more runs vs. Horejsei to make it 7-3. OSU righty Kyle Michalik then came into the game with one down. After a strikeout, a RBI single and hit by pitch extended the UE lead to six runs. In total, three of the six runs were unearned in the inning.
Things then got wacky in the bottom half as the Buckeyes came right back to make it a 9-8 contest, scoring five runs on just two hits vs. the Evansville bullpen that struggled to throw strikes. UE closer Brent Jurceka allowed five runs, all earned, on two walks and a hit batter and strikeout in 0.1 innings pitched. Conor Gilligan allowed one earned run with a strikeout. Strain received the win and improved to 1-1 overall, throwing six innings with three earned runs, two walks on six hits with a strikeout.
Tully received a no decision in his fifth start, throwing six innings on seven hits, three earned runs, one walk and three strikeouts. Post received the loss and falls to 2-2 after throwing 0.1 innings, allowing two runs, including one unearned run. Horejsei gave up four hits, four runs (all unearned), one walk and did not tally an out. Michalik pitched 1.2 innings and gave up three hits and one unearned run with a strikeout. Trace Dempsey pitched the final inning and had two strikeouts.
UP NEXT Ohio State will play a doubleheader against the Purple Aces beginning at 1:05 p.m. ET Sunday.
GAME NOTES: ? Ohio State allowed its first home run of the year in the top of the second. ? Sabanosh extended his reached-base streak to seven-consecutive games. He also has a five-game hit streak. ? Gretz reached base safely for the fifth straight game after an error in the fourth by UE. ? Montgomery extended his reached base streak to eight straight games (team-high). He also had a career high in runs scored (4). ? Nennig pushes his hit streak to five-consecutive games and has reached base safely six in a row.