Buckeyes Top Michigan State, 6-5 – Ohio State Buckeyes

Saturday, March 21

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State

13-6, 1-1

Michigan State

9-10, 1-1

Michigan State

Ohio State

Buckeyes Top Michigan State, 6-5 – Ohio State Buckeyes

3/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 21, 2015

Box Score

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Senior closer Trace Dempsey tied the Ohio State career saves record to seal a 6-5 win for the Ohio State baseball team over Michigan State Saturday afternoon at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium. Dempsey, a native of Huntington, W.Va., ties former Buckeye Jake Hale (2006-09) for first on the OSU all-time list with 29 career saves, claiming the final three outs of the Big Ten game. With the victory, Ohio State improves to 13-6 overall and 1-1 in Big Ten play, while the Spartans fall to 9-10 and 1-1 in 2015.
“We knew Michigan State was going to fight back and not lay down at any point,” head coach Greg Beals said. “We were able to get contributions from up and down the lineup. McDonough had a big double earlier in the game and Montgomery and Sabanosh really set things up for us. We are going to have a talented lineup when we can click on all cylinders.”

Ohio State registered a four-run second inning and added a run in the third and fifth innings, respectively, while holding off the Spartans in the final three frames to pick up its first Big Ten win of 2015.

After Michigan State jumped out to a 1-0 advantage on a solo homer in the second, the Buckeyes responded quickly with four runs on four hits vs. MSU starting pitcher Cam Vieaux. Ronnie Dawson and Nick Sergakis started the offense with a walk and single through the right side. Jordan McDonough then tied the game at 1-1 with his fourth double of the year to score Dawson. Craig Nennig had a quality at bat when he pushed a fly ball deep enough to plate Sergakis.
Troy Montgomery made it 4-1 with his second dinger of the year, hitting a two-run shot over the wall in right field. The hit extended his reached base streak to 14-consecutive games (team-high) and now has an 11-game hit streak as well.
The Buckeyes plated a run in the third when Dawson scored on a RBI groundout by Sergakis. Dawson reached third after a stolen base, error and interference at second base. The run was unearned.
The Spartans tallied a run in the fourth following a RBI single by Hughes. However, Lakins limited the damage when he left the bases loaded after a fly out to right field to Porter, who made a strong throw on the previous putout to keep it a 5-2 contest.
Ohio State forced the Spartans to go to their bullpen in the fifth inning. Troy Kuhn hustled out a bunt single to load the bases vs. reliever Walter Borkovich. Sergakis then connected on a pitch by reliever Andrew Gonzalez for a RBI single to left center to extend the cushion to a four-run lead vs. the Green and White.
However, the Spartans bounced right back and put three runs on the board in the top of the fifth after a RBI single by Cam Gibson and two-run home run by Ryan Krill against Lakins.
Kyle Michalik replaced Lakins on the hill in the seventh to protect the 6-5 lead. He got the 4-6-3 double play and a line out to put the Spartans down in order. He gave up one hit in one inning of work on seven pitches. Left-hander Michael Horejsei threw one inning. After allowing a double down the line, Horejsei picked up second strikeout of the inning to keep it 6-5. He was replaced by Dempsey after allowing a lead-off walk in the top of the ninth.
Lakins picked up the win to improve to 1-2, throwing six innings on 10 hits, five runs, two earned runs, four walks and three strikeouts.
Ohio State and Michigan State close out the three-game series at 1:05 p.m. ET Sunday at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium.

GAME NOTES ? Montgomery extended his hit streak 11-consecutive games (career-high).Montgomery has reached base safely in 14-consecutive contests (team-high), while Sabanosh extended his to 13 straight games and Porter to 10-consecutive contests. ? Montgomery and Sabanosh collected their fifth multi-hit game, while Sergakis notched his second of 2015. ? Sabanosh tied his career high with three hits vs. the Spartans. ? Dawson picked up his team-best eighth stolen base of the year, plating two runs scored as well.