Buckeyes Fall in B1G Opener, 3-2, vs. Michigan State – Ohio State Buckeyes

Friday, March 20

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State

12-6, 0-1

Michigan State

9-9, 1-0

Michigan State

Ohio State

Buckeyes Fall in B1G Opener, 3-2, vs. Michigan State – Ohio State Buckeyes

3/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 20, 2015

Box Score

RELATED INFO ? Follow the Buckeyes on Facebook and Twitter ?Box Score ?Season Stats COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State baseball team fell in its Big Ten opener against Michigan State, 3-2, Friday night at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium. The Buckeyes (12-6, 0-1 B1G) had a 2-0 run lead after six innings, but the Spartans (9-9, 1-0 B1G) capitalized on two OSU errors to plate three runs in the following at bat to help them to the conference win on a chilly night in Columbus.

After the first five went scoreless, the Buckeyes finally erased the zeros on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth when Troy Kuhn pulled a 2-2 pitch down the left field line for a two-run double to make it 2-0. Connor Sabanosh began the inning with his first triple of the year after the ball got by MSU center fielder Anthony Cheky on an attempted dive, while Pat Porter walked and reached second on a wild pitch.

However, the Spartans took advantage of two OSU fielding errors to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh vs. starting pitcher Tanner Tully, who threw 6.2 innings and did not allow an earned run. With two down, a double by Cheky and error in left field pushed Chase Toth and Brandon Hughes to across the plate. Cam Gibson then beat out a single on a groundball to first base, beating Tully to the bag to score another run. All three runs were unearned.

Both teams had chances in the third inning, but failed to score. Tully left two on base in the top half after he struck out Cam Gibson on a breaking ball and stopped a liner back at the mound for the third out. The Buckeyes had the bases loaded with one down vs. VanVossen but the MSU starter induced a 6-4-3 double play to keep it scoreless. Tully answered by striking out the side in the top of the fifth. VanVossen rebounded with two Ks in the bottom of the fifth.

Just a combined seven batters reached base safely in the first five innings as both pitchers were dealing on the mound. In the top of the sixth, Richardson posted a two-out triple vs. Tully, but the OSU sophomore got Salter to swing at the first pitch he saw and popped up to second to leave the runner stranded.

Tully received the loss and falls to 1-1 in 2015. He threw 6.2 innings and scattered five hits on three runs, no earned runs, two walks and four strikeouts. Jake Post pitched the next 2.1 innings and allowed no runs on two hits with two strikeouts.

MSU reliever Joe Mockbee picked up the win to improve to 2-1, limiting the OSU bats to no runs or hits in three innings of work.

The Buckeyes and Spartans continue the series at 3:05 p.m. ET Saturday at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium.

GAME NOTES ? Montgomery extended his hit streak 10-consecutive games (career-high).Montgomery has reached base safely in 13-consecutive contests (team-high), while Sabanosh extended his to 12 straight games (12). ? Sabanosh collected his first triple of the season and second of his Buckeye career. ? Kuhn now has eight doubles in 2015, which is the most in the Big Ten.